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3 more Bok debuts on the cards

Cape Town - Three players are hoping to make their Springbok debuts in Saturday's crucial Test against Ireland at Ellis Park. 

The Boks go into the match 1-0 down in the series following last Saturday's shock 26-20 loss at Newlands. 

Faf de Klerk made his debut in that match - becoming the 870th Springbok - while hooker Bongi Mbonambi was an unused substitute. 

Mbonambi has been named on the bench once more for the second Test and will be hoping to get on the park for his first cap, while lock Franco Mostert and wing Ruan Combrinck are also potential debutants. 

Mostert was not named in Allister Coetzee's original 31-man squad, but was called up before the first Test when Pieter-Steph du Toit went down with a hamstring strain. 

Du Toit recovered in time to earn a place on the bench in Cape Town, but Mostert has stayed with the squad ever since. 

Now, with Lood de Jager out injured, the towering Lions second-rower has his chance.

"He’s been playing superb rugby for the Lions throughout this campaign," Coetzee said of the 25-year-old.

"He’s a 100 percenter. During training he’s given everything for two weeks.

"That is how it happens in life; if you keep doing the right things, your opportunity will come. Hopefully he’ll get his chance this weekend."

Coetzee is also expecting a big performance from Du Toit, who replaces De Jager in the starting line-up. 

"He made a massive impact off the bench last weekend and hopefully as a starter he could continue that for us," said Coetzee.

"He has played well with Eben throughout the Super Rugby campaign so hopefully we will see that kind of form."

Combrinck, meanwhile, replaces Jesse Kriel on the bench in a move that will see JP Pietersen provide cover at outside centre. 

Teams:

South Africa

15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Lionel Mapoe, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Siya Kolisi, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Julian Redelinghuys, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Warren Whiteley, 21 Rudy Paige 22 Morne Steyn, 23 Ruan Combrinck

Ireland

15 Jared Payne, 14 Andrew Trimble, 13 Robbie Henshaw, 12 Stuart Olding, 11 Craig Gilroy, 10 Paddy Jackson, 9 Conor Murray, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 Rhys Ruddock, 6 Iain Henderson, 5 Quinn Roux, 4 Devin Toner, 3 Tadhg Furlong, 2 Rory Best (captain), 1 Jack McGrath

Substitutes: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Dave Kilcoyne, 18 Finlay Bealham, 19 Donnacha Ryan, 20 Sean Reidy, 21 Kieran Marmion, 22 Ian Madigan, 23 Tiernan O'Halloran

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