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Cape Town - Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says his 31-man Rugby World Cup squad is about 80% from being finalised.
Erasmus was speaking after naming his team for Saturday's Test against Argentina in Pretoria.
"It (the 80%) is also in terms of the composition of the squad. For example, are we going to pick four locks and five loose forwards or five or six props," Erasmus said, as quoted by Netwerk24.
"We've explained it to the players and everyone knows where we're at. It's tough, because you pick only 31 players and we haven't had a lot of injuries. There are a few positions where players are competing for a spot."
To probe combinations, Erasmus has unleashed a new-look team to take on the Pumas.
Eighteen of the team featured in the Rugby Championship-winning campaign but also included are five "newcomers" in the returning Siya Kolisi, Thomas du Toit and Wilco Louw (prop), Marco van Staden (loose forward) and potential debutant Scarra Ntubeni (hooker).
Kolisi has been named in the starting XV for a cameo role as he continues his carefully managed rehabilitation from a knee injury while the team is captained for the first time by the experienced Schalk Brits (hooker), who becomes the second oldest Springbok captain at 38 years and three months, and makes his first start in the green and gold since 2008.
The backline that helped overwhelm Australia at Ellis Park a month ago has been re-united with the exception of scrumhalf, where Cobus Reinach gets an opportunity to start; while the pack features a new front row, a mighty Bulls locking combination and a first start of the season for Marcell Coetzee alongside Kolisi and Rynhardt Elstadt.
Saturday's Test at Loftus Versfeld is scheduled for 17:05.
Teams:
South Africa
15 Warrick Gelant, 14 S'bu Nkosi, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Dillyn Leyds, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Marcell Coetzee, 7 Rynhardt Elstadt, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Lood de Jager, 4 RG Snyman, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Schalk Brits (captain), 1 Thomas du Toit
Substitutes: 16 Scarra Ntubeni, 17 Lizo Gqoboka, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Marvin Orie, 20 Marco van Staden, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Frans Steyn
Argentina
15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Sebastian Cancelliere, 13 Jeronimo de la
Fuente, 12 Lucas Mensa, 11 Ramiro Moyano, 10 Joaquin Diaz Bonilla, 9
Felipe Ezcurra, 8 Javier Ortega Desio, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Pablo Matera
(captain), 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Santiago Medrano, 2 Julian
Montoya, 1 Mayco Vivas
Substitutes: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro, 18 Juan Figallo, 19 Matias Alemanno, 20 Tomas Lezana, 21 Gonzalo Bertanou, 22 Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23 Santiago Carreras
