Pieter-Steph named captain as Springboks pick 4 debutants for Wales Test at Twickenham

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named his first team of the 2024 season for Saturday's Test against Wales at Twickenham.

Flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit will captain the Springboks in what will be their first Test since winning the Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand last October.

This will only be the second time Du Toit captains the Springboks, having previously led the team against Wales in Washington in 2018 - a Test the Boks lost 22-20.

There are also four uncapped players in the Bok 23-man line-up, with Lions duo - flyhalf Jordan Hendrikse and winger Edwill van der Merwe - to start, and Stormers pair - lock Ben-Jason Dixon and utility back Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu - to feature on the bench.

The Boks also welcome back experienced hooker Malcolm Marx, who suffered a knee injury at training in the early stages of the World Cup in France.

Elsewhere, prop Vincent Koch will play his 50th Test while Erasmus opted for a five-three forwards-backs split on the bench. The bench includes four World Cup winners - Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Grant Williams, and Damian de Allende.

15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Jordan Hendrikse, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (captain), 6 Kwagga Smith, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Salmaan Moerat, 20 Ben-Jason Dixon, 21 Grant Williams, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Damian de Allende

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"This is an exciting playing squad and travelling group, and we are looking forward to seeing how the uncapped