South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has named 12 2023 Rugby World Cup final starters in his squad to face Ireland in the first of two highly-anticipated home Tests at Loftus Stadium on Saturday. Fullback Willie Le Roux, number eight Quagga Smith and prop Ox Nche were the only ones who missed out on the 12-11 win over New Zealand in October last year, but they were all replaced.

Handre Pollard returns to fly-half after missing the Springboks' 41-13 win over Wales in London last month and falls out of the international window with a number of other first-choice players not involved in this meeting.

Six forwards and two three-quarters on the bench

Only three players from the Springboks' matchday squad against Ireland did not feature in France's World Cup triumph: prop Gerhard Steenkamp, ​​second row Salman Moirath and fullback Sacha Feinberg-Mangomezulu. “We believe this team will give us the momentum to face Ireland, the second highest ranked team in the world”Erasmus said. “We are fortunate to have so much depth in our squad and so many Rugby World Cup winners in our ranks who know what it takes to perform at the highest level.”.

“It's an advantage for us that most of them have played together, most of them have played against Ireland before, so they're well aware of the challenge ahead of them, especially as we're not undefeated. They are from 2016.”. Erasmus opted for a 6-2 split on the bench with the help of Feinberg-Ngomezulu, who can play at flyhalf, center and fullback, and Grant Williams, who plays normally at halfback. Ireland have never won a Test series in South Africa but were the only team to beat the Springboks at last year's World Cup, winning 13-8 in Paris before losing to New Zealand in the quarter-finals.

Composition of Springboks

Willy Le Roux – Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Creel, Damien d'Allende, Kurt Lee Arendse – Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk – Quagga Smith, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Sia Kolisi (capt) – Franco Mostert, Eben, Etzebeth, Embath Bongi Mbonambi , Ox enche

substitutes : Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenkamp, ​​Vincent Koch, Salman Morath, RG Snyman, Marco van Staden, Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mangomesulu.