The Springbok Women have made wholesale changes to face England for their final Rugby World Cup clash in Auckland on Sunday.
Captain Nolusindiso Booi, props Babalwa Latsha and Sanelisiwe Charlie, No 8 Aseza Hele, scrumhalf Tayla Kinsey and wing Nomawethu Mabenge retain their positions after a narrow defeat by Fiji, while Nadine Roos and Simamkele Namba move to wing and outside centre, respectively.
Eloise Webb will start at fullback and Zenay Jordaan at No 10 after both played off the bench against France and Fiji, while No 12 Chumisa Qawe will earn a first start in the tournament.
In the pack, Lerato Makua and Lusanda Dumke form a new-look loose-forward combination with Hele, Roseline Botes comes in for Lindelwa Gwala at hooker, and lock Catha Jacobs will make her first run-on appearance in the competition.
The bench also features a host of new players as coach Stanley Raubenheimer opted to give everyone in the 32-player squad game time.
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“We had a clear directive on what we wanted to achieve at this World Cup, but unfortunately it did not go our way against Fiji last Sunday,” he said.
“We will now give those players who have not played so far, the opportunity also to show they were worthy of selection.
“The experience of being at the World Cup will be beneficial to all in the squad after this match, as they would have experienced playing in the tournament.”
Raubenheimer added: “The England match was always going to be a massive challenge; they have put 50 points past all their opponents in recent matches.
“So, our outlook for this match is slightly different. I hope the new players and those making tournament debuts will bring energy and excitement.
“The World Cup is different from a normal Test match, it drains you physically, but also mentally in more ways than one, so we hope the new players will bring a fresh approach to the game.”
Springbok Women – 15 Eloise Webb, 14 Nomawethu Mabenge, 13 Simamkele Namba, 12 Chumisa Qawe, 11 Nadine Roos, 10 Zenay Jordaan, 9 Tayla Kinsey, 8 Aseza Hele, 7 Lerato Makua, 6 Lusanda Dumke, 5 Catha Jacobs, 4 Nolusindiso Booi (c), 3 Babalwa Latsha, 2 Roseline Botes, 1 Sanelisiwe Charlie.
Subs: 16 Micke Gunter, 17 Yonela Ngxingolo, 18 Azisa Mkiva, 19 Nompumelelo Mathe, 20 Sizophila Solontsi, 21 Rumandi Potgieter, 22 Jakkie Cilliers, 23 Chuma Qawe.
Photo: @WomenBoks/Twitter
