Nienaber rubbishes talk of 'B-team Boks' for Bloem: 'Tell that to Handre or Eben'

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has emphatically rubbished any perception that his "radical" selection strategy for Saturday's second Test against Wales in Bloemfontein is reckless in general and disrespecting of their opponents.

In an eye-catching but hardly unusual move, the national coaching staff chose to only retain four of the 23 that did duty in last weekend's 32-29 win at Loftus, sending a clear message that this new group needs to grasp the type of pressure that can be expected in next year's World Cup in France.

In fact, Nienaber is convinced a combination captained by Handre Pollard, who returns at flyhalf, can secure an early series victory.

"We'll never choose a team we believe can't win. I've said it many times before. This isn't a platform for development," he said on Tuesday.

"You have to perform. That's the most important and only requirement. It will be tight because we're facing a Wales team desperate to still win this series. That's this team's pressure. The other side wanted to make a good early start last weekend. They ticked their box."

15 Warrick Gelant, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Aphelele Fassi, 10 Handre Pollard (captain), 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marcell Coetzee, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Thomas du Toit

Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Ruan Nortje, 20 Rynhardt Elstadt, 21 Deon Fourie, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Damian Willemse

Moreover, the Bok mentor believes labelling the combination that will do duty at the Free State Stadium as a proverbial B-team is patently insulting.

"I don't think I'd take offence, but Handre and Eben [Etzebeth] will. Our biggest