England v South Africa team news LIVE: Freddie Steward starts as hosts make four changes for Twickenham clash
Steve Borthwick’s side host the world champions in a crucial Autumn Nations Series fixture this weekend
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Your support makes all the difference.England have made significant changes to their line-up as they attempt to salvage their Autumn Nations Series campaign against South Africa.
The Springboks arrive at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham to face a home side that has lost their last four games, with Steve Borthwick giving recalls to Freddie Steward and Jack van Poortvliet as a result. Borthwick includes the Leicester pair at the expense of George Furbank and Ben Spencer, while Tom Curry and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso are ruled out after suffering head injuries.
The visitors, meanwhile, have revealed their team this morning with Rassie Erasmus bringing back some of the key figures rested or used from the bench in the win over Scotland. Cheslin Kolbe, Damian de Allende and Siya Kolisi are among those brought back in as the double World Cup winners again display their enviable depth. But the ever innovative Erasmus has sprung a slight surprise at fly half, where Manie Libbok is preferred to Handre Pollard.
Follow all of the latest from both camps in our live blog below:
Rassie Erasmus on the scrum battle
“We’ve got England on a few occasions at the scrum, but they’ve had our number a few times. It is a battle from beginning to end. Out of the last five times we’ve played out of the World Cup, they’ve won four games. We don’t have a great record here. We haven’t done well at Twiceknham in the last five years.”
Rassie Erasmus on his Springboks selection
“I don’t think England will change their gameplan because of what I say here. They tend to go to a hell of a kicking game. If your backline don’t have the ability to match that, you do get cramps and tiredness. Guys like Jesse, Damian and Cheslin haven’t played in the last five weeks but they have kept really fit. We’ve got Lukhanyo [Am], Handre [Pollard] and Cobus [Reinach] as cover to try to match their speed and running ability.”
Rassie Erasmus suggests why England may be struggling to close out games
“England play a really energy-sapping game which will take a toll on our backline, but their blitz defence will also take a toll on them. If we can keep the ball, that will tire them. But we are also a team that have line speed.”
Rassie Erasmus expecting England to revert to more conservative gameplan
“Steve Borthwick has been successful playing a certain style. At Leicester, they were very much driven around pressure, physicality, kicking game. When you lose two games, even by a point or a last-minute try, the pressure starts to build. I’ve been there, and you normally fall back on what works for you. They’ve been successful like that in the past. We very much expect them to squeeze us with the kicking game.”
Rassie Erasmus speaks after Springboks reveal side to face England
Rassie Erasmus: “The think was done three weeks ago, prior to us getting on to the plane. We’ve been rotating the whole year. We are trying to create depth and quality in depth so that if we get two or three injuries, the third guy isn’t totally new to our system.
“Out of all the teams, England are the only team that don’t have a six-day turnaround. We’ve got a six-day turnaround this week. To handle their kicking game and defence, that will have a heavy load on our backs, so that’s why we have gone five/three on the bench.”
Springboks reveal side to face England
Rassie Erasmus has arrived for media duties after naming his Springboks side to face England. We’ll bring you some of the best bits from his press conference imminently.
Springboks team news - South Africa ring changes
And here is the South Africa line-up, with 12 changes made to Rassie Erasmus’s side. Only Eben Etzebeth (lock), Ox Nche (prop) and Bongi Mbonambi (hooker) retain their starting jerseys from Sunday’s Test in a 23 which includes a whole new backline and eight personnel changes. Manie Libbok and Grant Williams are paired in the halves, while Erasmus opts for a five/three bench split, as he has consistently against England of late.
South Africa XV: 1 Ox Nche, 2 Bongi Mbonami, 3 Wilco Louw; 4 Eben Etzebeth, 5 RG Snyman; 6 Siya Kolisi (capt.), 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 8 Jasper Wiese; 9 Grant Williams, 10 Manie Libbok; 11 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 12 Damian de Allende, 13 Jesse Kriel, 14 Cheslin Kolbe; 15 Aphelele Fassi.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Elrigh Louw, 20 Kwagga Smith; 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 Lukhanyo Am.
Cheslin Kolbe: ‘To win World Player of the Year would be special, but that’s not anywhere close to my mind’
One man likely to come back into the Springboks side is Cheslin Kolbe. I sat down with him ahead of South Africa’s campaign:
Cheslin Kolbe: ‘To win World Player of the Year would be special’
Exclusive interview: Described by head coach Rassie Erasmus as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ talent, the wing has become the Springboks’ ultimate utility man
Rassie Erasmus: ‘People say South Africa are bullies who don’t care what others think – but we do’
The Springboks are on a charm offensive. South Africa have won two World Cups, a British & Irish Lions series and added a rare Rugby Championship crown this summer to further cement their place as the rulers of the rugby realm. Yet outside of their homeland, there is a sense of a side not feted widely, as much loathed as liked.
And everyone wants to be loved. “You don’t want to make other people unhappy,” Springboks supremo Rassie Erasmus admits. “You don’t want people not to like you. You don’t want people to think you are stubborn. You don’t want people to think you are arrogant, especially if you see the characters in this team.”
Rassie Erasmus: ‘People say we are bullies who don’t care what others think – we do’
As they embark on their northern tour, the Springboks are on a charm offensive. Their charismatic director of rugby tells Harry Latham-Coyle why South Africa are trying to change and the secrets to his side’s success
Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus reveal the secrets behind the Springboks’ evolution
Rassie Erasmus should name his team in the next hour or so, with most of the big guns back after some key figures were rested against Scotland. The Springboks have evolved beyond their brilliant basics this year, as Erasmus and Siya Kolisi explained to me in Jersey a couple of weeks ago.
Siya Kolisi and Rassie Erasmus reveal the secrets behind the Springboks’ evolution
Double world champions South Africa have transformed into a more attacking side this year as they bid to maintain their place at the top of the rugby world
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