Erasmus makes sweeping Springbok changes for Australia Test

Australia vs South Africa: Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus makes 13 changes to starting side for Perth Test after series win over All Blacks South Africa have made 13 changes to the side that won the three-match series against the All Blacks to take on Australia in Perth; Watch Australia take on South Africa in a one-off Test on Sunday September 27, with kick-off at 10.45am, live on Sky Sports+ Wednesday 23 September 2026 11:26, UK South Africa have made 13 changes to their starting line-up for Sunday's one-off Test against the Wallabies in Perth. Only lock Eben Etzebeth and winger Ethan Hooker retained their starting roles from the team that beat the All Blacks 43-28 in Baltimore to seal a 3-1 win in the inaugural Rugby's Greatest Rivalry series. Etzebeth will extend his record as the most capped Springbok of all time to 147 Test matches. - Springboks show steel for 43-28 win over All Blacks that secures 3-1 series win - Record crowd in US for Springboks vs All Blacks is World Cup 'appetiser' - Second-half blitz earns Red Roses 48-15 win over Australia - Not got Sky? Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract Props Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Zachary Porthen will join forces with hooker Johan Grobbelaar in a new-look front row, while two-time World Cup-winning fly-half Handre Pollard returns from a calf injury to form a new halves pairing with fit-again scrum-half Herschel Jantjies. Centre Andre Esterhuizen has been named skipper, making him South Africa's 68th captain. Lock Franco Mostert will play his first Test since facing Wales last November. Despite the mass changes, only three players named in the starting lineup have fewer than 10 Test caps - winger Edwill van der Merwe, lock Paul de Villiers and prop Porthen. "Australia poses a completely different threat to New Zealand in the way they play, so we believe these combinations would be best suited for the challenge that we will face against them," South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus said. "This is going to be a big challenge against a team that has been playing good rugby, and who have won four of their last five matches, with their other result being a draw against the Pumas in Argentina." Erasmus had no second thoughts about allowing veteran duo Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende to return home so they could spend time with family. "They had a heavy workload in the last few months, and they deserve a break," Erasmus said. Australia head coach Les Kiss is expected to name his side on Friday with reports centre Joseph Suaalii is set to be handed a start on the wing. South Africa XV for Test vs Australia 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen (captain), 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Herschel Jantjies; 1 Marco van Staden, 2 Elrigh Louw, 3 Paul de Villiers, 4 Franco Mostert, 5 Eben Etzebeth, 6 Zachary Porthen, 7 Johan Grobbelaar, 8 Jan-Hendrik Wessels. Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Morne van den Berg, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Quan Horn. Watch Australia take on South Africa in a one-off Test on Sunday September 27, with kick-off at 10.45am, live on Sky Sports+ [Image text:] FNB FNB FNB FNE FNB FNB FNE NB FNB NE