Springbok Captain Kolisi Starts at No 8 Against Australia

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi will start at No 8 for the first time in a Test match as South Africa opens its Rugby Championship defense against Australia. This change is largely due to the unavailability of regular No 8 Jasper Wiese, who is serving a ban, and injuries to other contenders like Elrigh Louw and Cameron Hanekom. Kolisi has experience playing No 8 for his franchise, the Sharks, and his move allows flanker Marco van Staden to enter the starting lineup alongside Pieter-Steph du Toit. Coach Rassie Erasmus explained that while Kolisi will mainly pack down at No 8 during scrums, he will also play on the flank during open play, leveraging the breakdown skills of Kolisi, van Staden, and du Toit against a strong Australian side. The team also features Manie Libbok at fly-half, chosen for his creativity despite some concerns about his goal-kicking, and Grant Williams at scrum-half. Notably, star winger Cheslin Kolbe and veteran centre Damian de Allende have been rested due to minor injuries, with Edwill van der Merwe and Andre Esterhuizen stepping in.