South Africa has decided to field the same team against Ireland in the upcoming second test, making it their most experienced rugby squad ever.
The reigning world champion Springboks secured a 27-20 victory in the first test at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday.
For the match at Kings Park Stadium this weekend, the starting XV will have a combined total of 990 caps, three more than the team that played in the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand last October.
“We don’t focus on such statistics when selecting the team, but it does highlight the depth and quality of our squad,” said coach Rassie Erasmus on Tuesday.
“While it’s an impressive statistic, it won’t guarantee us a win.”
The Springboks will feature 12 players from the final and include 20 members of their World Cup squad on matchday 23. Erasmus has opted to maintain the 6-2 split between forwards and backs among the reserves, a proven effective strategy.
Erasmus mentioned they also considered a 7-1 split.
“We believe this (6-2) combination is best suited to face the challenges posed by Ireland,” he added.
Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel will set a new record as South Africa’s most experienced midfield duo when they play together for the 30th time.
