Faf de Klerk to win 50th Test cap as South Africa confirm matchday squad for Scotland clash

Faf de Klerk will be winning his 50th Test cap for South Africa after being named in the starting line up for the upcoming Rugby World Cup encounter against Scotland.

Manie Libbok will start at fly-half partnering with de Klerk at halfback while Damian Willemse has been named at fullback with Willie le Roux on the bench.

Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel form the centre partnership with Kurt-Lee Arendse starting at right wing and Cheslin Kolbe at left. Skipper Siya Kolisi will start at blindside with Pieter-Steph du Toit at openside and Jasper Wiese at number eight.

Eben Etzebeth joins Franco Mostert in the preferred locks named by Jacques Nienaber with Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitshoff being part of the front row. Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman and Marco van Staden, who were on the bench in the record win over New Zealand continue to remain in the matchday squad.

“We are pleased with the squad depth we have built in the last few months, and we believe this group of players strikes the right balance to achieve the result we need against Scotland,” Nienaber added.

“We are very excited about this occasion. We’ve been building for this World Cup for the last four years and we are thrilled to get our campaign started.

“We’ve been working hard in the last few weeks to make sure we are as prepared as possible going into this match and we are fully aware of the challenge that awaits us."

Nienaber also heaped praises on Scotland, who had made impressive performances under Gregor Townsend this year that has seen them rise to the fifth position in the World Rugby Rankings.

“Scotland are a quality team with a strong pack and skilful backs, and they play with a lot of intensity, so we need to be sharp on attack and defence on Sunday.

“They have proved in the last few seasons that they can beat any team, and with this being the opening game of the World Cup for both sides, they will be equally as charged up as us for the match.”

South Africa: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Reserves: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Duane Vermeulen, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Willie le Roux