Ireland v South Africa: Springboks opt for 7-1 split with Eben Etzebeth fit to start

South African head coach Jacques Nienaber has made one change from the side that beat Scotland 18-3 in their opening match of the World Cup for Saturday’s big Pool B game against Ireland with Bongi Mbonambi replacing the injured Malcolm Marx at hooker. The Springboks beat Romania 76-0 in their most recent outing but made 14 alterations for that game.

Eben Etzebeth, forced off with a shoulder injury in the win over the Scots, has recovered and will take his place alongside Franco Mostert in the secondrow.

Munster’s Jean Kleyn, who played for Ireland at the World Cup in Japan four years ago, is named among the replacements, and there’s little doubt that quite apart from other reasons he is there to provide additional cover should Etzebeth suffer a recurrence of the problem.

Kleyn won five Irish caps before declaring for the country of his birth under World Rugby’s three-year eligibility rule and has since made the same number of appearances for the Springboks.

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Nienaber has opted for a 7-1 split on the bench, reprising the historic set-up for the recent 35-7 victory over New Zealand at Twickenham. A late injury to fullback Willie Le Roux in the build-up to that game saw him replaced by Kwagga Smith, an alteration that meant South African had seven forwards and just one back.

Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, who can play on the wing as well, is the only back named. The Nienaber said of his decision. “The reason why we went with that 7-1 bench is because we believe that is the best way for us to make sure that we get a result on the weekend.

“Obviously people will look at it and say that there is a risk involved and we understand that but for us it is a calculated risk. There are guys who are in that 7-1 bench that cover various positions. That is something that I won’t go into too much because it is tactical and I don’t want to go into that too much.

“We analysed Ireland and after looking at them, what they bring and what we think we will need in this specific game from a tactical point of view and trying to counter everything that they do, that’s the reason that we went with 7-1. I don’t think Ireland and New Zealand are similar in how they do things. It is for this specific game.”

Damian Willemse has won the starting berth over Le Roux, Jesse Kriel over Canan Moodie at outside centre, while Deon Fourie will cover hooker, a position he played originally before converting to flanker.

Munster’s RG Snyman, Marco van Staden – he can also play hooker and has been practising his throwing – and the versatile Kwagga Smith join replacement props Ox Nche and Trevor Nyakane on the bench.

Nienaber said when asked about the challenge of facing Ireland. “They are the number one team in the world, I don’t think there are a lot of weaknesses in their game. I think, like they have mentioned, this is one of the games that you want to play in; it’s number one in the world playing the world champions. It will be a proper Test match.

“If you look at the Ireland team and the consistency in performances, there haven’t been a lot of weaknesses over the last couple of months. So we expect a proper Test match, a Test match of the calibre of a number one and two teams playing against each other.

“It is a game that you want to be involved in. It’s a week you want to be involved with; the analysis they do on us and the plans they make for us and the plans we make for them, to see if it works on Saturday that is the thrill of it.

“I won’t say I’m nervous, I am excited. It’s going to be a proper Test match between two teams who have a good skill set. It is going to be a clash of two teams, who have experience, cool, calm heads.

“It is two teams that will be very well matched on the day and that is the exciting part, to see if our plans will work against them and will we be able to handle the pressure they put us under. Will they be able to handle the pressure on them?

“This is an important game for both teams. If Ireland slip up in this game the Scotland game becomes massive. If we slip up against them in this game the Tonga game becomes massive. There will be pressure in this game, and I think that is the exciting part to see how the players will handle it.”

SOUTH AFRICA: Damian Willemse; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe; Manie Libbok, Faf de Klerk; Steven Kitshoff, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe; Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert; Siya Kolisi (capt), Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese.

Replacements: Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman, Jean Kleyn, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach.