Evan Roos must make a statement for Boks against Scotland

Evan Roos is a big selection for Rassie Erasmus – and it is a chance the player must take if he is to be a part of the Boks 2027 Rugby World Cup preparations. He must make a statement against Scotland.

Evan Roos

Erasmus named the Stormers Roos to start at No 8 against Scotland at Loftus in Pretoria on Saturday.

This is the second round of the Nations Championship and Scotland arrive after a wonderful win against the Pumas in Argentina.

The Boks battered England 45-21 at Ellis Park.

Roos is one of 10 changes to the starting XV from the England win as Erasmus rotates his match 23s as part of the big picture build towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Outside centre Jesse Kriel is the only player to start in the same backline position.

Among the forwards, flank Paul de Villiers and lock Ruan Ruan Nortjé are the only forwards to start in the same position.

There are 10 players from last Saturday’s 23 against England in the match 23 against Scotland.

Erasmus indicated at the start of the international season that each match selection had been pre-planned and results would not change his thinking. Changes to the initial squads would be forced through injury and not because of a result.

He has insisted that every player will get an opportunity to make a case for 2027 World Cup consideration. The flip side is a player plays himself out of contention.

Damian Willemse, having produced the complete performance at fullback against England, starts at No 12 against Scotland in one of the positional switches. Pieter-Steph du Toit captains the team again, but has shifted back from lock to No 7 flank.

Du Toit, one-cap Stormers flanker Paul de Villiers and Roos are the loose-trio, while Bulls halfbacks Embrose Papier and Handre Pollard start at their home ground.

Tighthead prop Wilco Louw is a welcome return to the starting XV.

Seven Bulls are in the starting XV, with Erasmus backing the familiar combinations of the back-to-back URC finalists.

Outside of the halfback pairing of Papier and Pollard, hooker Johan Grobbelaar and locks Ruan Nortjé, and Cobus Wiese play against Scotland. There are nine Bulls players in the match 23.

Five overseas-based players have been picked, although Aphelele Fassi, Ruan Nortjé and Grant Williams will only play for their overseas clubs for the first time post Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series between the Springboks and All Blacks.

SPRINGBOKS (to play Scotland) – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian Willemse, 11 Canan Moodie, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Embrose Papier, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit (c), 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Cobus Wiese, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Boan Venter. Substitutes: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Ntuthuko Mchunu, 18 Zach Porthen, 19 Ben-Jason Dixon, 20 Vincent Tshituka, 21 Elrigh Louw, 22 Grant Williams, 23 Quan Horn.