Rassie Erasmus Names Springbok Starting XV to Face Italy in Turin Nations Championship
- Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named his match-23 on Monday for the opening Nations Championship match against Italy in Turin on Saturday
- Lock Salmaan Moerat returns to the starting lineup after recovering from neck and toe injuries that kept him out all season
- The Springboks head into the European tour sitting top of the Southern Hemisphere standings, level on points with New Zealand
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Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has announced a settled match-23 for Saturday's 2026 Nations Championship clash against Italy in Turin, kicking off at 13h40 SA time and broadcast live on SuperSport.
The selection is largely unchanged from the squad used earlier in the competition, with one notable exception: lock Salmaan Moerat returns to the green and gold for the first time this season after recovering from neck and toe injuries that ruled him out of both the first leg of the Nations Championship and the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry Series.
Moerat Returns Alongside Experienced Pack
Moerat will line up alongside Ruan Nortje in the second row, with the front row made up of Ox Nche, Thomas du Toit, and Malcolm Marx. Captain Siya Kolisi leads the loose trio alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese.
In the backs, Morne van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will direct play at half, with Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel forming the midfield partnership. The back three features Ethan Hooker, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Damian Willemse. The total caps in the starting line-up stand at 835, with the backline averaging 51 caps per player and the forwards 60.
The replacements bench follows a six-two split in favour of forwards. Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Gerhard Steenekamp, and Wilco Louw cover the front row, with Lood de Jager providing lock depth. Cameron Hanekom and Paul de Villiers complete the forward reserves, while Grant Williams and Manie Libbok offer backline cover.
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Milestones in Sight for Kriel and Marx
Two Springboks are closing in on significant individual milestones. Jesse Kriel needs five more caps after this match to reach 100 Test appearances, while Malcolm Marx, the 2025 World Rugby and SA Rugby Men's Player of the Year, also requires five more Tests to join the exclusive 100-cap club.
Erasmus described the tour as a critical stretch for the Springboks, who currently top the Southern Hemisphere standings tied with New Zealand on 15 points, but hold the top spot on points difference. After Turin, the team travels to Paris to face France on 13 November, then Dublin to meet Ireland on 21 November, ahead of the Finals Weekend concluding on 29 November.
"We have three challenging matches ahead if we want to advance to the last game of the Finals Weekend, so our next three matches are going to be vital to lay a strong foundation for the tour," Erasmus said.
Italy enter the fixture ranked 11th in the world and sitting at the foot of the Northern Hemisphere standings. Erasmus acknowledged that the hosts would be highly motivated.
"Italy are a quality team who will enter this match with immense motivation with an eye on trying to start their home leg on a positive note in front of their home crowd," he said.
The Springboks hold an impressive record against Italy, having won 18 of 19 meetings. Their sole defeat came in Florence in 2016, when Italy edged them 20-18.
Thierry Henry Says He Was 'South African
Briefly News previously reported that football legend Thierry Henry opened up about his deep admiration for the Springboks during a visit to South Africa for the Soweto Derby
Henry revealed he woke up early to watch the 2019 Rugby World Cup final and still has the footage saved on his phone
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Source: Briefly News
