Kolisi to return for Springboks if he proves his fitness

JOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 : Captain Siya Kolisi has been named in the South Africa side to take on New Zealand in the second test in Cape Town on Saturday, but only if he passes a fitness test later in the week, while flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been dropped.

• Kolisi will take the place of Paul de Villiers if he makes it through the week’s training after being omitted from the team beaten 33-16 by the All Blacks in the first test in Johannesburg. If he does not, De Villiers will keep his place, coach Rassie Erasmus said on Monday.

• The experienced halfback pairing of Handre Pollard and Cobus Reinach replace Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who was guilty of key handling errors, and the injured Grant Williams.

• Winger Cheslin Kolbe is also out with what Erasmus termed a niggle and will be replaced by Ethan Hooker, which means Kurt-Lee Arendse switches from the left to right wing.

• The test marks a 100th cap for utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, who captained the team in the surprise first test defeat.

• Switches on the bench include 39-year-old Deon Fourie as a back-up front row, while Thomas du Toit (prop), Lood de Jager (lock), and Cameron Hanekom (loose forward) will join hybrid Andre Esterhuizen.

Team: 15-Damian Willemse, 14-Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13-Jesse Kriel, 12-Damian de Allende, 11-Ethan Hooker, 10-Handre Pollard, 9-Cobus Reinach, 8-Jasper Wiese, 7-Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6-Siya Kolisi (captain) or Paul de Villiers, 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-Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Ed Osmond)