Springboks make two changes as injury blow hits and star wing returns

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Sacha Feinberg Mngomezulu of South Africa The Rugby Championship, New Zealand All Blacks v South Africa at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand on Saturday 6 September 2025. Copyright Photo: Jeremy Ward / www.photosport.nz

South Africa have made two changes to their starting XV for the second test against New Zealand in Cape Town on Saturday as Handre Pollard is replaced by Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cheslin Kolbe comes in for Kurt-Lee Arendse.

Flyhalf Feinberg-Mngomezulu played in the 33-16 loss to the All Blacks in Johannesburg last weekend but was dropped to the bench to accommodate the experienced Pollard.

The latter has been forced to pull out with a calf strain though and Feinberg-Mngomezulu is elevated to start, with Manie Libbok named among the replacements.

Wing Kolbe was originally not in the team that was named on Monday after leaving the field with a knock in Johannesburg, but has been declared fit enough to play. Arendse drops out of the match-day 23 altogether.

The clash in Cape Town is the second of four tests in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series and will be followed on consecutive weekends by matches in Johannesburg and Baltimore in the United States.

Updated South Africa team:
15-Damian Willemse, 14-Cheslin Kolbe, 13-Jesse Kriel, 12-Damian de Allende, 11-Ethan Hooker, 10-Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9-Cobus Reinach, 8-Jasper Wiese, 7-Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6-Siya Kolisi (captain), 5-Ruan Nortje, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Wilco Louw, 2-Malcolm Marx, 1-Ox Nche

Replacements: 16-Deon Fourie, 17-Gerhard Steenekamp, 18-Thomas du Toit, 19-Lood de Jager, 20-Andre Esterhuizen, 21-Cameron Hanekom, 22-Morne van den Berg, 23-Manie Libbok.