Siya Kolisi leads South Africa returns against Argentina
Siya Kolisi makes a return to the South African line up
©PA
Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will return from injury alongside several senior players after Rassie Erasmus named a heavily changed team to face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
Siya Kolisi Leads Returning Springbok Stars
Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will make their first Springbok appearances of 2026. Morné van den Berg has also returned to the matchday squad following injury.
Andre Esterhuizen and Ethan Hooker are available again after suffering minor injuries during the Nations Championship in July.
Erasmus has made 13 changes to the starting team that defeated Wales 43-0 in Durban. Only Aphelele Fassi and Cobus Reinach retain starting places from that victory.
Springboks Name Completely New Forward Pack
South Africa will field an entirely changed pack at Estadio José Amalfitani. Boan Venter, Johan Grobbelaar and Thomas du Toit form the front row, while Etzebeth partners De Jager at lock.
Kolisi starts in the loose trio alongside Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden, Cobus Wiese and Gerhard Steenekamp are the other players retained from the Wales match, with all five selected among the replacements.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu Returns at Fly-Half
Reinach will partner Feinberg-Mngomezulu in the half-back combination, while Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie start together in midfield.
Hooker and Edwill van der Merwe occupy the wings, with Fassi continuing at full-back.
Erasmus said the Argentina Test would provide a demanding assessment for the returning players following their injury layoffs.
“The Argentineans are very similar to South Africans in many ways. Their passion and patriotism for their country and people, and the way they give everything on the field and keep fighting, is a testament to the type of Test match we are expecting this weekend.
“They have beaten us twice in Argentina before, and they delivered brave performances in their Nations Championship matches, and will have a point to prove on Saturday, so we are fully aware of the challenge ahead.”
Springboks XV: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Cameron Hanekom, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter
Reserves: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Zachary Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Cobus Wiese, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Morne van den Berg, 23 Handre Pollard
