Venter drafted onto Bok bench against Australia as Wessels is forced to withdraw

Springbok prop Boan Venter will provide front-row cover off the bench in Saturday’s Castle Lager Rugby Championship opener against Australia after coach Rassie Erasmus was forced to make a late change to his team on Friday, following the withdrawal of Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Venter, who made his test debut against Georgia during the Castle Lager Incoming Series, will partner up with Bongi Mbonambi and Asenathi Ntlabakanye as the back-up front row after Wessels suffered a niggle at training on Wednesday, which ruled him out of the match.

The encounter will mark Venter’s first Castle Lager Rugby Championship match and his first against Australia.

The match kicks off at 17h10 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.

UPDATED SPRINGBOK TEAM TO FACE AUSTRALIA IN JOHANNESBURG:

15 Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 12 caps, 35 points (7t)

14 Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 3 caps, 25 pts (5t)

13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 80 caps, 95 points (19t)

12 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 20 caps, 0 pts

11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 26 caps, 100 points (20t)

10 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 20 caps, 108 pts (1t, 35c, 11p)

9 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 19 caps, 25 pts (5t)

8 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 93 caps, 60 points (12t)

7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 88 caps, 60 pts (12t)

6 Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 27 caps, 15 pts (3t)

5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 67 caps, 25 points (5t)

4 Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 133 caps, 35 points (7t)

3 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 18 caps, 0 pts

2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 78 caps, 115 pts (23t)

1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 41 caps, 0 pts

REPLACEMENTS:

16 Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 79 caps, 70 points (14t)

17 Boan Venter (Edinburgh) – 1 cap, 5 pts (1t)

18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions) – 1 cap, 0 pts

19 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 79 caps, 20 points (4t)

20 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 53 caps, 45 points (9t)

21 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 40 caps, 70 pts (14t)

22 Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 14 caps, 35 pts (7t)

23 Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 41 caps, 61 points (5t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)