Coetzee returns to Springboks match day squad

Ulster back row Marcell Coetzee has been named among the replacements for South Africa’s Rugby Championship match against Australia in Johannesburg on Saturday (4.05pm UK/Irish time). Coetzee was been in outstanding form for Ulster during the 2018/19 season, receiving the Rugby Writers’ Player of the Year at the annual Heineken Ulster Rugby Awards Dinner. He was a central figure for Dan McFarland’s men, featuring 25 times as they made the semi-finals of the Guinness PRO14 and the quarter-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup. The game is the first in the Springboks’ shortened 2019 Rugby Championship campaign, which also consists of away matches against New Zealand and Argentina. Experienced lock Eben Etzebeth takes over the captaincy from regular skipper Siya Kolisi, who is recovering from a knee injury. Rassie Erasmus, the SA Rugby Director of Rugby, said he and the Springbok team are excited for the start of the international season. “The squad have trained together for more than three weeks and this match is important for us to start a very important rugby year,” said Erasmus. “We want to win the Castle Lager Rugby Championship and we have a specific plan, which starts Saturday with the first Test against the Wallabies. “We have planned to mix things up in the first two Tests of the season, in order to give game time to as many of the players in our wider squad, and we believe this is the right combination to face a very good and competitive Australian side. “The build-up has been good and there is definitely a very good vibe for match. “Australia have prepared very well for this match and they have spent two weeks at altitude to acclimatise to the Highveld, so we are in for a great contest,” added Erasmus. The Springbok team to Australia in Johannesburg: 15. Warrick Gelant (Vodacom Bulls), 5 caps – 5 points (1 try) 14. Sbu Nkosi (Cell C Sharks), 6 – 20 (4t) 13. Jesse Kriel (Vodacom Bulls), 40 – 60 (12t) 12. André Esterhuizen (Cell C Sharks), 6 – 0 11. Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks), 4 – 20 (4t) 10. Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions), 33 – 229 (2t, 42c, 45p) 9. Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers), uncapped 8. Francois Louw (Bath, England), 65 – 45 (9t) 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers), 46 – 20 (4t) 6. Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse, France), uncapped 5. Lood de Jager (Vodacom Bulls), 38 – 20 (4t) 4. Eben Etzebeth (captain, DHL Stormers), 75 – 15 (3t) 3. Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls), 37 – 5 (1t) 2. Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers), 26 – 15 (3t) 1. Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), 107 – 10 (2t) Replacements: 16. Schalk Brits (Vodacom Bulls), 11 – 5 (1t) 17. Lizo Gqoboka (Vodacom Bulls), uncapped 18. Vincent Koch (Saracens, England), 13 – 0 19. Marvin Orie (Emirates Lions), 1 – 0 20. Marcell Coetzee (Ulster, Ireland), 28 – 30 (6t) 21. Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints, England), 10 – 10 (2t) 22. Frans Steyn (Montpellier, France), 56 – 132 (10t, 5c, 21p, 3d) 23. Dillyn Leyds (DHL Stormers), 9 – 5 (1t)