Faf de Klerk of South Africa Photo: Paul Thomas / www.photosport.nz
All Blacks v Springboks
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 6 September
Eden Park, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
The Springboks have called in double Rugby World Cup winner Faf de Klerk to their squad to face the All Blacks.
De Klerk comes in as halfback cover, joining Grant Williams, Cobus Reinach and Morne van den Berg as options for coach Rassie Erasmus ahead of the first test at Eden Park in Auckland, where the Springboks have not won since 1937. The 33-year-old has been playing in the Japan Rugby League One competition with the Yokohama Canon Eagles for the past four seasons, alongside several other key Springboks, whose selection policy allows players to be picked while playing domestic rugby abroad.
The side also confirmed that hooker Bongi Mbonambi has not travelled with the group "to attend to family matters". Malcolm Marx and Jan-Hendrik Wessels are currently with the side, however no replacement for Mbonambi was named.
It is unknown if Erasmus will name his side early in the week as he has done over the past couple of seasons, with the World Cup winning coach openly admitting that he would changee his lineup based on who the Wallabies would pick before their test match at Ellis Park. It ultimately proved to be a backfire, with the Australians winning an upset 38-22.
This weekend's test will be the first time the Springboks have played at Eden Park since 2013.
