Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has recalled the services of veteran half-back Faf de Klerk for their back-to-back Rugby Championship clash with the All Blacks on New Zealand soil.
Erasmus is leaving no stone unturned as the Springboks attempt to be the first team since France in 1994 to beat the All Blacks at Eden Park.
The recall of de Klerk means the Springboks will have four halfbacks to pick from for the tests in Auckland and Wellington.
Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach, and Morne van den Berg are already in Auckland, having arrived with the tour party several days ago.
The Springboks have not won at Eden Park since 1937.
de Klerk played a key role in the Springboks victories in the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cups, but didn't feature in the recent Rugby Championship tests against the Wallabies in South Africa.
The All Blacks, meanwhile, are sweating on the fitness of halfbacks Cam Roigard and Cortez Ratima ahead of the test at Eden Park.
Roigard didn't play the two tests in Cordoba and Buenos Aires in Argentina recently, as he was instructed to stay home to allow a stress fracture in his foot to heal.
Ratima suffered what appeared to be a painful chest injury in the loss to the Pumas in Buenos Aires on August 24th and was replaced by Finlay Christie.
Noah Hotham is unavailable because he is recovering from ankle surgery, having been injured in the third test against France in July.
The All Blacks will host South Africa at 7.05pm this Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Wallabies will host Argentina at 4.30pm Saturday at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
[Source: stuff.co.nz]
