Overview
- Rassie Erasmus named a heavily rotated matchday 23 for the Scotland Test after South Africa’s 45-21 win over England, making ten changes to the starting XV to give more players exposure.
- Eben Etzebeth has been ruled out of South Africa’s entire July Nations Championship because of concussion and is being managed to target a possible return for the New Zealand series in August.
- A cluster of injuries forced several late withdrawals and selection shifts, with Siya Kolisi, Ox Nche and André Esterhuizen all unavailable or assessed after the England match.
- Embrose Papier was recalled to start at scrumhalf after strong United Rugby Championship form, pairing with Handré Pollard as part of Erasmus’s move to test combinations.
- England face their own back-three concerns with doubts over Cadan Murley and Freddie Steward and George Furbank out after appendix surgery, which could affect their selections on the rest of the tour.