Rising star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Springbok fetcher Marco van Staden are among the South Africa A run-on XV changes to face Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate Stadium on Thursday.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu replaces Johan Goosen in a new halfback pairing with Grant Williams, while fullback Gianni Lombard takes over from the injured Aphelele Fassi.
Van Staden, who was initially ruled out of Jacques Nienaber’s original 35-man Bok tour squad due to a rib injury, replaces Phepsi Buthelezi at openside flank.
Among the other changes in the forwards, hooker Andre-Hugo Venter is named in place of Joseph Dweba – on standby for the Test against Italy in Genoa on Saturday.
Stick opted for a six-two split on the bench, where JJ Kotze, Mornay Smith, Simphiwe Matanzima, Dan du Preez, Sikhumbuzo Notshe and Buthelezi will provide forward cover, with Sanele Nohamba and Goosen the utility backs.
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“It was always our intention to give everyone in the squad game time on this tour to assess our player resources and see what the players have to offer at this level,” said SA A coach Mzwandile Stick, whose troops were convincingly beaten by Munster in Cork last week.
“This week we will hand a few different players starting berths as the demands are different on players from the starting team and the bench.
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“This is a very talented group of players and they have had a little more time to gel in the last few days after having very little time together before the Munster game, and we are confident that this will show when they take the field against Bristol.”
South Africa A – 15 Gianni Lombard, 14 Suleiman Hartzenberg, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Cornal Hendricks, 11 Leolin Zas, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jean-Luc du Preez, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Jason Jenkins, 3 Thomas du Toit (c), 2 Andre-Hugo Venter, 1 Ntuthuko Mchunu.
Subs: 16 JJ Kotze, 17 Simphiwe Matanzima, 18 Mornay Smith, 19 Dan du Preez, 20 Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 21 Phepsi Buthelezi, 22 Sanele Nohamba, 23 Johan Goosen.
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Photo: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images
