Canan Moodie will make his first Test start at outside centre in Friday’s final Rugby World Cup 2023 “warm-up” against the All Blacks at Twickenham.

The 20-year-old Moodie was sensational during last week’s 52-16 win over Wales in Cardiff, scoring two tries and consistently causing problems for the opposition both on attack and defence.

Read more in Daily Maverick: Wales demolition job — Kolisi and Moodie inspire Bok machine to manufacture a massive victory

Against the Boks’ fiercest rivals, Moodie will bring his considerable skills slightly closer to the action at outside centre. It’s not an entirely unfamiliar role for the youngster, who spent much of his high school career in that channel.

Last year, current Bulls coach and former Bok mentor Jake White said he saw Moodie as a future centre, following a well-used pattern in rugby.

The All Blacks used Tana Umaga and Ma’a Nonu as wings early in their careers before they established their world-class credentials as centres. Jaque Fourie started life as a fullback and became one of the Springboks’ greatest No 13s of all time.

Moodie is high on confidence after such a strong showing against Wales, so in that sense, it’s a great time to ask him to perform a new role. The flip side is he, and the hulking Andre Esterhuizen, will start as a combination for the first time, while the quality of the opposition promises to make this a tough test of Moodie’s ability and character.

Bok sensation Canan Moodie dots down for his second try against Wales in Cardiff last week. The Boks won 52-16. (Photo: Gaspafotos/MB Media/Getty Images)

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber, who opted to mix things up with three weeks until their RWC 2023 opener against Scotland in Marseille on 10 September, oozed confidence in Moodie’s new role and at the potential of the new centre combination.

For Esterhuizen, it’s his first outing against the All Blacks in what will be his 14th Test.

“Andre has been playing well and Damian de Allende has had a lot of rugby so this was a good time to rotate there,” Nienaber said. “Andre has performed really well when he has played this year, so we want to give him another chance.

“Canan is a back-up 13 for us and although it might look like a left-field selection from the outside, he has spent a lot of time in training at outside centre.

“With Lukhanyo Am still injured and out of the RWC squad, it’s a chance to see him in this pressure situation.

“We know what Canan is capable of. It will be a bit of an adjustment for him and a real challenge, especially if the All Blacks select Rieko Ioane at 13. But we have every confidence in Canan to handle it.”

Eight changes

In all, there are eight changes to the team that brushed a callow Wales aside, with the likes of scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, lock Eben Etzebeth and Esterhuizen starting.

“If you look at the backs, I’d accept a comment that the team is experimental,” Nienaber said. “But if you look at the forwards they are experienced and 12 of them featured against Wales last week.

“The only two forwards coming in are Eben Etzebeth and Trevor Nyakane, who are both very experienced players.”

Nienaber retained five of the pack that defeated Wales. The front row of Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe (props) and hooker Malcolm Marx, as well as looseforwards Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit are asked to step up again. 

Flyhalf Manie Libbok and Moodie also start again with De Klerk resuming at scrumhalf in a new halfback pair, while there are new combinations elsewhere as Nienaber continued to carefully manage game time among the squad. 

There is a new lock pairing of Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert, while veteran No 8 Duane Vermeulen starts in the back row (after coming off the bench in Cardiff).

Hulking centre Andre Esterhuizen will play inside centre against the All Blacks at Twickenham on Friday. (Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images)

Makazole Mapimpi and Kurt-Lee Arendse are named on the left and right wings respectively, with Damian Willemse starting at fullback after passing concussion protocols following a clash of heads against Wales.

The Bok coach again opted for a split of six forwards and two backs on the bench, where locks Jean Kleyn and RG Snyman and prop Nyakane will provide an impact alongside Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Ox Nche (prop), and Marco van Staden (flank). Scrumhalf Cobus Reinach and fullback Willie le Roux, meanwhile, will provide backline cover.

“The All Blacks will provide a different challenge to Wales, and we believe this group of players is the right mix for this match,” said Nienaber.

“New Zealand play a high-tempo game, and they turn on the intensity from the starting whistle as they showed in Auckland, so it’s vital that we start well this week.

“We took the lessons from that match, and we’ve built good momentum since, so this will be a fantastic test before we enter our Rugby World Cup campaign.”

Meeting objectives

Commenting on the changes to the team, Nienaber said: “Our objective since the beginning of the season was to strike a balance between performance and managing player load with only six Test matches to get ready for the World Cup, and we are pleased with the way we have developed in that regard.

“In the last five matches, we’ve given everyone, with the exception of the injured players, valuable game time, which is vital going into the World Cup, and we are satisfied with the way we have been building as a team.”

Nienaber expected a massive battle against their arch-rivals in front of a crowd of more than 80,000 at Twickenham and said: “The rivalry between the Springboks and All Blacks is one of the most intense in world rugby, so it’s a great way for us to wrap up our warm-up matches before heading to France for the World Cup.

“This match may be on neutral ground, but we expect it to be as epic as every other Test between the teams. They are a quality team with several playmakers and physical forwards, and they’ll give everything on Friday.

“We know what to expect and what we need to do to work our way into a position to get the desired result, so as a team, we need to be ready mentally and physically.” DM

Springboks:

15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff.

Reserves: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Jean Kleyn, 20 RG Snyman, 21 Marco van Staden, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Willie le Roux.