Mtawarira to win 100th Springboks cap against England

Tendai Mtawarira will win his 100th South Africa cap in the second Test against England, as Rassie Erasmus makes two changes.

The 32-year-old will become the first prop and only the sixth Springbok to play a hundred times for their country in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

Frans Malherbe will line up alongside Mtawarira after returning from a lengthy injury absence, replacing Stormers team-mate Wilco Louw.

Lock Pieter-Steph du Toit also comes back into the side, with Jean-Luc du Preez dropping to the bench as South Africa attempt to wrap up the series with a Test to spare after fighting back to win in a thrilling opener 42-39 last weekend. 

Tendai Mtawarira will become only the sixth Springbok and eighth prop ever to reach 100 Test caps. Rassie Erasmus said: “His contribution to SA rugby during the past decade has been enormous and I want to congratulate him on reaching 100 Test caps for South Africa.” pic.twitter.com/RSVSYq1zqS

— South African Rugby (@Springboks) June 14, 2018

“Much like a typical front rower, ‘Beast’ [Mtawarira] is not someone who likes the spotlight,” said Erasmus.

“However, his contribution to Springbok rugby during the past decade has been enormous and I want to congratulate him on reaching 100 Test caps for South Africa.

“It is a special achievement and while he deserves the accolades, I know he will be totally focused on the most important job, and that is to face an extremely determined England side on Saturday in Bloem.”

South Africa: Willie le Roux, Sibusiso Nkosi, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk; Tendai Mtawarira, Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, RG Snyman, Franco Mostert, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen.

Replacements: Akker van der Merwe, Steven Kitshoff, Thomas du Toit, Jean-Luc du Preez, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Ivan van Zyl, Jesse Kriel, Warrick Gelant.

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