Kolisi at No 8, Kriel retains captaincy as Rassie names team for All Blacks at Eden Park

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has made just four changes to the starting team that beat the Wallabies in Cape Town for Saturday’s clash with the All Blacks at Eden Park, with Jesse Kriel retaining the captaincy.

The changes see the return of Eben Etzebeth to the starting XV in the engine room alongside Ruan Nortje, in what will mark his 136th Test. The other two changes come in the loose trio, where Siya Kolisi returns from a niggle for his second Test at No 8, while Pieter-Steph du Toit is back at flanker.

The only change in the backline is at fullback, where Willie le Roux will play his 101st Test after being forced to withdraw from the previous clash with the Wallabies due to a niggle.

Erasmus has also made three personnel changes to the replacements bench, which features five forwards and three backs. Jan-Hendrik Wessels takes over from Marnus van der Merwe at hooker, Kwagga Smith moves back to the bench in the void left by Etzebeth, and utility back Ethan Hooker earns his second cap in place of Andre Esterhuizen.

The settled squad includes 17 players who featured against the Wallabies in Cape Town.

“We selected the best possible team we could for the match, knowing that this is going to be an epic encounter against the All Blacks at Eden Park, and many of these players have done the job for us before against them,” said Erasmus.

“This is obviously going to be a completely different challenge to what we have faced against them in the last two years, with the match being hosted in New Zealand, and also at a venue where they hold a fantastic record.”

The match kicks off at 9.05am.

Springbok matchday 23 v New Zealand

Starting XV: 15 Willie le Roux 14 Cheslin Kolbe 13 Jesse Kriel 12 Damian de Allende 11 Canan Moodie 10 Handre Pollard 9 Grant Williams 8 Siya Kolisi 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit 6 Marco van Staden 5 Ruan Nortje 4 Eben Etzebeth 3 Thomas du Toit 2 Malcolm Marx 1 Ox Nche; Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels 17 Boan Venter 18 Wilco Louw 19 Lood de Jager 20 Kwagga Smith 21 Cobus Reinach 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu 23 Ethan Hooker.