Boks bolster squad: Mbonambi and Mchunu to Dublin for clash vs Ireland

South Africa Strengthens its Frontline to Face Ireland in Dublin

The South Africa rugby team has reinforced its forward pack ahead of the crucial match against Ireland in Dublin this weekend. The team has called up hooker Bongi Mbonambi and prop Ntuthuko Mchunu to strengthen their ranks. The “Boks” were reduced to 14 players for the second consecutive time last Saturday. Franco Mostert received a red card against Italy for not wrapping his arms in a tackle, supposedly making contact with the head. Faced with this situation, the “Boks” technical staff was forced to make several early changes to balance the scrum. In addition, with Lood de Jager also out due to a red card received against France, it was necessary to call up more players.

This is a longer tour than usual, and we have two big matches ahead against Ireland and Wales, which motivated the decision to call up Bongi and Ntuthuko.

Rassie Erasmus, head coach

Erasmus added that both players have proven their worth on the international stage, so they are excited to have them on the team. In addition, several players will not be eligible for the final test of the tour against Wales, as the match falls outside the international window. Therefore, it makes sense to call up the players now so that they can rejoin the team during training this week, while also increasing the team’s depth for the upcoming challenge against Ireland. South Africa has won the three tests it has played on this tour of the UK and Europe so far and is eager to face Ireland. The Irish arrive after a resounding victory against Australia last weekend, with a score of 46-19.

This group of players has not yet won at the Aviva Stadium, and that is definitely a goal for us. We want to deliver a solid performance, but it’s going to be a huge match.

Damian Willemse, Man of the Match against Italy

Willemse also commented that the team is looking forward to playing in Dublin and that they will need everyone, from each team member to the coaching staff, to achieve the desired result in Ireland. He acknowledged that Ireland is a world-class team and that they know what they are capable of, especially in Dublin. The match will start at 17:40 UK time, 19:40 South Africa time.