Rassie Erasmus has tightened the Springbok selection scrum, keeping faith with the warriors who dismantled Italy as South Africa prepare to charge into another Parisian rugby battlefield against France on Friday.
The Bok coach has made two changes to his match-23 for the Nations Championship showdown, promoting Wilco Louw into the starting front row and drafting former Montpellier scrumhalf Cobus Reinach onto the bench.
Louw joins Ox Nche and Malcolm Marx in a heavyweight front row expected to turn the French scrum into a serious test of strength. Thomas du Toit moves to the replacements alongside Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Gerhard Steenekamp.
The remainder of the starting XV remains unchanged, with Lood de Jager and Ruan Nortje retaining their second-row partnership. Captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese complete a loose trio built for the trenches.
Erasmus has also retained his six-two bench split, with Franco Mostert, Cameron Hanekom and Paul de Villiers providing additional forward ammunition. Reinach and Manie Libbok will supply the backline spark, with Reinach’s ability to cover scrumhalf and wing offering valuable tactical flexibility.
The selection is a vote of confidence in combinations forged through fire, with Erasmus determined to keep the Bok machine firing on familiar cylinders.
“We said from the outset that we would not rotate too much on this tour, so it was always our intention to select a settled squad for this game to build momentum in the competition,” he said.
Sixteen players featured in last year’s 32-17 victory over France in Paris, while 10 were involved in the unforgettable 29-28 Rugby World Cup quarter-final victory in 2023.
@Springboks : RASSIE LOADS THE RUGBY ARTILLERY FOR FRANCE @RassieRugby has made two changes to his match-23 for Friday's heavyweight Nations Championship clash in Paris. Wilco Louw starts at tighthead prop, while Cobus Reinach joins the Bomb Squad. Eben Etzebeth is still working… pic.twitter.com/RVHjdBh12r
— Adnaan Mohamed (@Adnaan1111) November 9, 2026
The absence of Eben Etzebeth will raise eyebrows. The towering lock arrived in France on Monday after time on the sidelines, but Erasmus believes he needs time to find his feet again.
“Lood and Franco are also very experienced players and they have been training with us for almost two weeks now,” he explained.
France, ranked fourth in the world and leading the Northern Hemisphere standings, will bring a formidable forward pack and dangerous backline to the contest. The stakes are enormous, with both teams chasing a place in the Nations Championship final.
“Matches between us and France are always intense, and this week will be no different,” Erasmus warned.
The historical scoreboard offers the visitors encouragement. South Africa have won 29 of 47 Tests against France, with 12 defeats and six draws. More significantly, the Boks have won their last five Tests in Paris, dating back to 2013. France last beat them in the French capital in 2005.
Kolisi will lead South Africa for the 70th time, while Jesse Kriel and Marx enter the contest with 95 Test caps each, four appearances away from the exclusive Springbok centurions’ club.
Erasmus knows the French will bring the thunder, with the Stade de France crowd acting as an extra man in blue. The Boks will need to absorb the early pressure, win the collisions, dominate the breakdown and convert scoring opportunities.
“Our focus though is on what we want to do as a team, so it will be vital to execute our game plan accurately and make the most of the point-scoring chances we create,” he said.
Friday promises a brutal rugby marathon, with every metre likely to be earned through sweat and sacrifice. The Boks have their game plan, their battle-hardened combinations and their ammunition loaded.
Now they must make every pass count and ensure the French do not have the final say.
Kick-off: 22:10 South African time. Live on SuperSport.
