Springboks make two late changes for 2nd test against New Zealand
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CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — South Africa withdrew backs Handré Pollard and Kurt-Lee Arendse on Friday from the second test against New Zealand this weekend.
Pollard hurt his ankle in training on Wednesday and was given until Friday to pass a fitness test.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was restored to the No. 10 jersey and Manie Libbok brought into the reserves for the match on Saturday at Cape Town Stadium.
New Zealand won the first test 33-16 at Ellis Park last Saturday to go 1-0 up in the four-test series.
Pollard was picked ahead of Feinberg-Mngomezulu this week because of his familiarity with Cape Town conditions and veteran game management. The team valued his poise under pressure.
Pollard was praised by assistant coach Mzwandile Stick on Friday for making his injury known immediately.
“The nice thing about it, and I know it’s a sad situation, is for a leader like him to be honest about how he feels, to lose his pride in the sense of saying, ‘I’m not feeling well,’” Stick said. “At that moment in the training session I could see he was going through tears.”
Stick couldn’t say how long Pollard might be sidelined.
Arendse was replaced on the right wing because Cheslin Kolbe recovered from the hamstring and ankle issues which forced his exit during the first test.
The late changes mean South Africa has made only two to the starting XV, bringing in captain and flanker Siya Kolisi and left winger Ethan Hooker.
Kolisi has played only 25 minutes in two months because of hamstring problems. The permanent captain since 2018 was asked on Friday whether he’s thought about how long he’ll keep going.
“I don’t think like that at all, especially with the captaincy,” he said. “I want to be in the team and I want to play.
“I think the injury itself is never the problem. It’s just all in your mind. The battles that you have to fight, that’s the hard part. You can sit there and think, ‘Am I going to get the opportunity again?’
“It’s difficult because you want to play every game but you have to surrender your own dreams and goals and put them aside, because we’re not only playing for each other but we’re playing for the whole of South Africa.”
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See AP’s full rugby coverage here