Pollard starts at No 10 against Tonga as Kolisi captains Boks for 50th time

Handre Pollard will return to the Springboks for the first time in over a year after he was named in the starting XV to take on Tonga at the Rugby World Cup Pool B clash in  Stade Velodrome in Marseille.

Pollard starts at flyhalf as Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber made several changes from the team that lost 13-8 to Ireland in Paris last Saturday evening. 

Cobus Reinach starts at scrumhalf and will partner Pollard at half-back, while Andre Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie are the centre pairing.

Interestingly, South Africa have chosen to rest hooker Bongi Mbonambi with Deon Fourie starting in the No 2 jumper and Marco van Staden providing cover from the bench. 

Vincent Koch gets his first start in the green and gold jumper since the RWC pool game against Canada on 8 October 2019, while Duane Vermeulen will play at blindside flank. 

In total, 13 players in the match-23 were retained from last week’s 13-8 defeat against Ireland, with Siya Kolisi captaining South Africa for the 50th time. 

“This is a strong and physical team, which is exactly what need against a side like Tonga that plays with passion and force,” said Nienaber.

“Each one of us understands the importance of this match with an eye on qualifying for the quarter-final, so accurate execution, physicality and doing our basics right will be vital to get the desired result.”

Nienaber expected a major physical challenge from Tonga: “They will enter with the mindset that they have nothing to lose after going down in their opening two matches of the tournament, so they won’t hold back.

“They had impressive moments in their matches against Scotland and Ireland, so this will require a full 80-minute effort. The emphasis for us will be on doing what we need to do to progress out of