Pollard back at 10

Less than a week after joining the Springbok squad after recovering from injury, flyhalf Handre Pollard has been named in the starting line-up to face Tonga in the Pool B final fixture in Marseilles on Sunday.

Pollard, who replaced hooker Malcolm Marx after recovering sufficiently from a calf injury and who has prompted outcries for his return from fans given some of the goal-kicking inconsistencies in the squad, will line up in his regular 10 position against the Tongans as the Boks go looking for a bonus point to ensure they finish as high as possible and claim their place in the quarterfinals. 

It isn’t surprising that Pollard is starting as coaches often believe an injured player should rather start than be on the bench in case there are any hiccups, whereas the bench role won’t allow them to replace them.

Manie Libbok, who was at 10 for the Boks in most of their games this season, is on a bench that reverts to a five-three split.

THREE SURVIVORS

The rest of the team sees just three survivors in the starting line-up  from the brutal contest against Ireland on Saturday with captain Siya Kolisi, No 8 Jasper Wiese and lock Eben Etzebeth the only three players who will start again this Sunday in the final pool game.

Instead it has the look of the same team - more or less - that did duty against Romania and gives a number of players a final crack at making the starting line-up that is likely to be the Boks' first choice as they head into the playoff rounds of the tournament.

ESKOM IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The one interesting selection is that of Marco van Staden as the official back-up hooker, who will come off the bench on Saturday with Deon Fourie starting.

Willie le Roux, who has now been usurped as the top fullback in the team by Damian Willemse, gets a start at the back and has a chance to show his magic again, with the rest of the backline that did duty against Romania is the same.

Grant Williams pops up on the wing and hat-trick hero Makazole Mapimpi is on the left, while Canan Moodie and Andre Esterhuizen form the duo in the midfield again for the Tonga game.

Cobus Reinach, who also scored a hat-trick against Romania, is the starting scrumhalf.

Duane Vermeulen, who was conspicuous in his absence against Ireland, returns - this time at seven flank with Wiese and Kolisi forming a potent and physical back row around him.

Marvin Orie joins Etzebeth in the second row in an all Tygerberg-Hoërskool second row while Vincent Koch seems to have shaken off the effects of the knee niggle that forced him to withdraw from the Romania game during the warm-ups and will start at tighthead for the game.

Ox Nche joins Fourie in the starting line-up as the Boks will look to once again get their ascendancy up front.

Van Staden’s spot as reserve hooker is backed up by the experience of the bench props Steven Kitshoff and Trevor Nyakane while the experience of Franco Mostert, who can play both lock and flank, and the workhorse Kwagga Smith rounds out the bench forwards.

Jaden Hendrikse is the reserve halfback with Jesse Kriel covering the wider channels and Libbok the back-up flyhalf.

Handre Pollard makes a return to the Springboks line-up for their final #RWC2023 Pool match 📝

Peep the number 7️⃣#StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/FvAyeRq3k9

— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 27, 2023

Springbok team to face Tonga 

15 – Willie le Roux

14 – Grant Williams 

13 – Canan Moodie

12 – Andre Esterhuizen

11 – Makazole Mapimpi 

10 – Handre Pollard

9 – Cobus Reinach

8 – Jasper Wiese

7 – Duane Vermeulen

6 – Siya Kolisi (captain)

5 – Marvin Orie

4 – Eben Etzebeth

3 – Vincent Koch

2 – Deon Fourie

1 – Ox Nche

Replacements:

16 – Marco van Staden

17 – Steven Kitshoff

18 – Trevor Nyakane

19 – Franco Mostert

20 – Kwagga Smith

21 – Jaden Hendrikse 

22 – Jesse Kriel

23 - Manie Libbok