Captain Siya Kolisi starts a Test match at No 8 for the first time ever as coach Rassie Erasmus shows his hand for the opening Rugby Championship clash against the Wallabies at Ellis Park.

Kolisi forms a powerful loose-trio alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden. Manie Libbok has been entrusted with the No 10 jersey and will form a potent halfback pairing with Grant Williams, while fleet-footed flyer Edwill van der Merwe retains his spot on the right wing in place of Cheslin Kolbe.

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Jesse Kriel will join forces with Andre Esterhuizen in the midfield following a niggle picked up by Damian de Allende.

Erasmus says they’ve had some time to really test the combinations and he’s confident they’ll pay off.

“We’ve been experimenting with player combinations during the Castle Lager Incoming Series and at our conditioning camp in the last two weeks, and we believe this team will allow us to play the type of rugby we want to play against Australia,” said Erasmus.

“The Wallabies will be determined to change their win record against us in the last three seasons, so they’ll come out guns blazing, and we are confident that the players we selected will be up for the challenge. All of the starters except for Edwill have faced them before, and we are confident that he is ready for this challenge.”

What a way to start the week! Check out the #Springboks team to face Australia at Ellis Park on Saturday 🔥#ForeverGreenForeverGold

— Springboks (@Springboks) August 11, 2025

Van der Merwe’s back-to-back Test start comes after Kolbe was given extra recovery time from a minor injury.

“Cheslin has also recovered from a niggle and trained with us last week, but we decided to exercise caution and give him extra time at training before selecting him. Edwill has been in good form this season, and it will be good to see what he brings in this match.” said the Bok mentor.

The match-23 includes 18 Rugby World Cup winners and just three players with five Test caps or fewer – Jan-Hendrik Wessels (utility forward), Van der Merwe, and prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye, who debuted against Italy in July.

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Erasmus expects a fierce contest against a Wallabies side buoyed by a 22-12 win over the British & Irish Lions after a narrow 29-26 defeat in the first Test.

The Boks will be chasing a fifth straight victory over Australia, having won both Rugby Championship matches away in 2024, as well as one each in 2023 and 2022.

Saturday will also see Eben Etzebeth extend his record as the most-capped Springbok of all time to 134 Tests. The lock will move into joint-10th place on the all-time global list alongside Welsh legend Gethin Jenkins.

Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images