The Springboks’ first Test team selection in nearly 20 months was never going to be straightforward due to a certain pandemic. Coach Jacques Nienaber had settled on his squad last Saturday, but later the same day was forced to leave out World Cup winners Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi.

The pair were in close contact with three players who tested positive for Covid-19, and, although returning negative PCR results themselves, have been isolating as a precaution.

Prop Vincent Koch and wing Sbu Nkosi, who is a Sharks teammate of Am and Mapimpi, both tested positive for Covid-19 after routine PCR testing on Saturday morning. Those tests were a prerequisite for entering their Johannesburg biosecure environment where players will be subjected to three PCR tests a week.

Scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies also returned a positive result in the initial screening, but it was later found to be a false positive and he has been cleared to face the Georgians. He is on the bench with Cobus Reinach starting in the No 9 jersey.

If anything, these disruptions for Nienaber are a possible sign of things to come. The biosecure bubbles all the teams, including Georgia and the British & Irish Lions, are confined to, are not failsafe.

They are designed to mitigate risk, but they cannot guarantee a 100% Covid-free environment while players and hotel staff move in and out of the “red zone” occasionally.

Am and Mapimpi’s misfortune has opened the door for others. Sharks’ rising star Aphelele Fassi will make his Test debut at left wing, while Jesse Kriel comes in at outside centre for Am where he will partner Frans Steyn in the midfield.

There is also a debut for former Blitzbok sensation Rosko Specman, who dons the No 14 jersey with Nkosi unavailable. World Cup hero Cheslin Kolbe only joined the squad on Sunday after winning the French Top 14 with Toulouse last Friday, so wasn’t considered for this week.

With Duane Vermeulen injured, Kwagga Smith makes only his sixth Test start but his first at No 8, having previously played flank. It’s an interesting selection because he is a different type of athlete from Vermeulen.

At almost 20kg lighter than the big bruiser Vermeulen, Smith prefers to play quickly and limit massive contact, choosing to use his natural pace and agility to upset the opposition. It hints that the Bok game plan might be a little more up-tempo than it was in the latter stages of Rugby World Cup 2019, when they last played.

Jasper Wiese, Leicester’s abrasive loose forward, will make his Test debut from the bench. He is more in Vermeulen’s mould and could offer the coaches some answers to their approach for the upcoming series against the Lions.

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber. (Photo: Steve Haag / Gallo Images)

“Rosko is a livewire… he brings lots of energy, and is someone who is always smiling and joking. And when it comes to rugby, he is a real professional,” Nienaber said.

“It is well documented how successful he was in sevens and was part of that Olympic bronze medal-winning team (at Rio 2016). He’s played a lot of tournaments on big stages.

“Aphelele came into the mix (after the Covid issues), but he had trained with us in the conditioning weeks on the wing, and we all know he is really talented with an incredible skill-set.

“At franchise level he has obviously played mainly at fullback, but he has slotted in at wing beautifully, and will have the guidance of someone like Willie (le Roux) around him. 

“We wanted to give opportunities to players such as Aphelele, Rosko and Jasper Wiese, who have also just knocked the door down to earn selection. We’d like to give them a chance in this game to see how they fit into our structures and how we do things.

“We needed to balance that with getting our rhythm back as quickly as possible and hitting our straps, while giving opportunities to new guys so we can make a proper informed decision when we get to the Lions Tests.”

World Cup survivors

It will be exactly 20 months since the Boks last played when they take the field against the Georgians for a second time in their history. The previous encounter was at RWC 2003 in Australia, which the Boks won 46-19.

Nienaber, who will guide the Springboks in his first Test as head coach, named 18 Rugby World Cup winners in his matchday squad — 12 of whom featured in their 32-12 final triumph against England.

Six of these 12 players will start against Georgia. They are Bok captain Siya Kolisi and his loose forward partner Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth (lock), Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Willie le Roux (fullback) and Handré Pollard (flyhalf).

The other players who featured in Yokohama on that famous day are Frans Steyn (centre), Franco Mostert (lock), Malcolm Marx (hooker), Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe (both props) and Herschel Jantjies (scrumhalf).

Kolisi will earn his 51st Test cap after reaching his half century in the RWC final, while Pollard, Kitshoff and Kriel will all take a step closer to reaching the significant career milestone of 50 caps. Pollard will earn his 49th Test cap and Kriel his 47th, while Kitshoff will earn his 48th cap if he takes the field.

“We have selected the best team with an eye on what we would like to achieve in this Test against Georgia, and we believe that we have a good balance with a number of experienced campaigners and a few young players who have made a strong statement this season,” said Nienaber.  

“Most of the players in this squad are Rugby World Cup winners, while others have been part of the national squad for a few seasons.” 

South Africa

15 Willie le Roux, 14 Rosko Specman, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Aphelele Fassi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Kwagga Smith, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Trevor Nyakane, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche

Substitutes: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Frans Malherbe, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Herschel Jantjies, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 Damian Willemse. DM