Mbonambi captains Boks as Steenekamp makes debut

Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi will captain the national team for first time on Saturday when he leads a new-look combination against Argentina in Buenos Aires in the first of three Rugby World Cup warm-up games.

The team shows 13 changes to the starting line-up, while the 23 includes talented prop Gerhard Steenekamp, who could make his Springbok debut.

Mbonambi — who will earn his 60th Test cap this weekend — takes over the captain’s responsibilities in the absence of regular captain Siya Kolisi, who is making encouraging progress after surgery to his knee, and stand-in captains Eben Etzebeth and Duane Vermeulen, who remained behind in SA with a group of players in a conditioning camp.

Steenekamp, who has progressed through the South African rugby ranks in the past few seasons after representing the Junior Springboks and making a strong statement for the Vodacom Bulls in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, is the only uncapped player in the squad, and will become Springbok No 933.

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber named a vastly different match-day squad to the side that defeated Argentina 22-21 at Emirates Airline Park last week, with the only two players retaining their places in the starting team being flyhalf Manie Libbok and lock Marvin Orie.

Nienaber also named a rejigged bench, with utility forward Jean-Luc du Preez and scrumhalf Herschel Jantjies donning the jersey for the first time this season as the coaches attempt to give as many players as possible a chance to prove themselves before naming their 33-man Rugby World Cup squad on Tuesday next week.

Mbonambi will form a strong front row with props Trevor Nyakane and Thomas du Toit, while Jean Kleyn will earn his second start in a lock combination with Orie.