South Africa’s depth-building mission rolls on as the Springboks host Georgia at Mbombela Stadium this Saturday in their second July international of 2025. Head coach Rassie Erasmus has once again overhauled his matchday squad, injecting a new wave of talent into the national setup as the Boks continue preparing for every scenario in the current World Cup cycle.
Match Info:
Saturday, 19 July 2025
Mbombela Stadium, Nelspruit
July Internationals
Kickoff: 17:00 (SA time)
To Win:
Springboks | Draw | Georgia
Handicap:
Springboks | Georgia
Following a dominant 45-0 performance against Italy in Gqeberha last weekend, the Springbok selectors have made 15 changes to the squad. It’s a clear signal of intent: South Africa is determined to test squad depth and groom the next generation of Test stars.
Three more debutants will pull on the green and gold for the first time — Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), and Neethling Fouché (Stormers) form an all-new front row, primed for a stern physical examination against a Georgian pack that thrives on scrum battles. Erasmus acknowledged Georgia’s strength up front this week, noting the presence of several Top 14 veterans among their forwards.
In the back row, Cobus Wiese gets a rare opportunity at eighthman with his brother Jasper serving a suspension, while Siya Kolisi returns to lead the team from the No 6 jersey. The backline includes a dynamic combination at 9-10-15 in Grant Williams, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and Aphelele Fassi — all of whom will look to ignite South Africa’s attack. Damian de Allende partners Canan Moodie in the midfield, restoring some tried-and-tested stability.
The Boks’ bench leans heavily on experience, with a 5-3 split made up entirely of Rugby World Cup winners, providing reassurance in the later stages should the hosts need to turn the screw.
Georgia, under the guidance of veteran coach Richard Cockerill, arrive in Mbombela after a narrow 24-20 defeat to the Cheetahs in Bloemfontein — a match that saw several regulars sit out. Their squad is expected to be significantly stronger this week, and while they may lack the stamina to go the full 80 minutes with South Africa, their goal will be to compete physically, especially at scrum time, and disrupt the Boks wherever possible.
The two nations last met in 2021, when South Africa cruised to a 40-9 victory at Loftus Versfeld in a warm-up to the British & Irish Lions series. Their only other meeting came during the 2003 Rugby World Cup, where the Boks won 46-19.
Prediction: South Africa to cover the handicap
With three new caps in the front row, the scrum battle will be fascinating, but South Africa’s debutants bring solid URC credentials. Expect the Boks to gain control up front, build pressure through phases, and record another convincing win in their July series.