LONDON (AP) — Siya Kolisi returned as captain and prop Wilco Louw was picked for his first test match since 2021 as South Africa made 12 changes for the rugby test against under-pressure England on Saturday.
Only forwards Eben Etzebeth, Ox Nche and Bongi Mbonambi were retained on Thursday from the team which defeated Scotland 32-15 on Sunday, meaning Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus changed his entire back division to deal with a six-day turnaround.
Erasmus has averaged 8.5 personnel changes per test in the 11 matches since the Boks' opening test in 2024, against Wales in June. That was also at Twickenham, where Saturday's match is staged.
Kolisi reclaimed the armband from Etzebeth, while Louw — a late injury call-up for the tour — was back for the first time since a behind-closed-doors test against Argentina during the pandemic.
Erasmus went with a 5-3 split in favor of the forwards on the bench, unlike a 7-1 against the Scots.
England, which has lost its last four matches and was beaten by the Boks in the Rugby World Cup semifinals last year, made four changes after its 42-37 loss to Australia on Saturday — including a promotion to the starting team for winger Ollie Sleightholme after his two tries off the bench against the Wallabies.
Scrumhalf Jack van Poortvliet, fullback Freddie Steward and flanker Sam Underhill were also brought in.
“Test matches against South Africa are always thrilling contests, and I’m sure Saturday will be no exception," England coach Steve Borthwick said.
Lineups:
England: Freddie Steward, Tommy Freeman, Ollie Lawrence, Henry Slade, Ollie Sleightholme, Marcus Smith, Jack van Poortvliet; Ben Earl, Sam Underhill, Chandler Cunningham-South, George Martin, Maro Itoje, Will Stuart, Jamie George (captain), Ellis Genge. Reserves: Luke Cowan-Dickie, Fin Baxter, Dan Cole, Nick Isiekwe, Alex Dombrandt, Harry Randall, George Ford, Tom Roebuck.
South Africa: Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Manie Libbok, Grant Williams; Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), RG Snyman, Eben Etzebeth, Wilco Louw, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nche. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Cobus Reinach, Handre Pollard, Lukhanyo Am.
AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
Scotland's Tom Jordan, holds onto the ball as he is tackled by South Africa's Willie Le Roux during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between Scotland and South Africa in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
South Africa's Eben Etzebeth, left, and Scotland's Zander Fagerson have an tussle during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between Scotland and South Africa in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
South Africa's Lukhanyo Am, left is tackled by Scotland's Finn Russell, and Scotland's Pierre Schoeman during the Autumn Nations series rugby union match between Scotland and South Africa in Edinburgh, Scotland, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Lindsey Vonn is coming out of retirement to rejoin the U.S. Ski Team, she announced Thursday, intending to race again at age 40 — and six years after her last Olympics.
Vonn is a three-time Olympic medalist, including a downhill gold and super-G bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games, and a bronze in the downhill at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games. She is also a four-time overall World Cup champion and owns eight world championships medals.
Her 82 World Cup race victories stood as the record for a woman until that total was eclipsed in January 2023 by American Mikaela Shiffrin, who is still active and is now up to 97 wins — more than any Alpine ski racer in the history of the sport.
Before eclipsing Vonn's total, Shiffrin said: "I don’t know if I could fill Lindsey’s shoes, the way that she has worn them.”
Vonn's last competition came in February 2019, after she dealt with a long series of injuries throughout her career.
There were broken arms and legs, torn knee ligaments, concussions and more.
Just this April, years after leaving the World Cup circuit, she had surgery for a partial knee replacement.
Vonn has been training in recent months, U.S. Ski & Snowboard said Thursday.
“Getting back to skiing without pain has been an incredible journey,” Vonn said, adding that she wants to "continue to share my knowledge of the sport with these incredible women” on the American roster.
Vonn is back with the team effective immediately, but it is not yet known which particular races she will be aiming to enter. The first downhill — her specialty — during the current World Cup season will be held at Beaver Creek, Colorado, in December.
U.S. Ski & Snowboard president and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt said Vonn’s “dedication and passion towards Alpine skiing is inspiring, and we’re excited to have her back on snow and see where she can go from here.”
The next Winter Olympics are in Italy in February 2026, and while it's not clear whether Vonn plans to participate, the women's Alpine skiing events will be held in Cortina d’Ampezzo on the course where she holds the record of 12 victories.
Vonn can benefit from the International Ski and Snowboard Federation’s new wild-card rule, which allows former champions to get decent starting numbers for races if they come out of retirement — without having to regain ranking points in lower-level races.
Eight-time overall World Cup champion Marcel Hirscher took advantage of the new rule and recently returned after five years away.
AP skiing: https://apnews.com/hub/alpine-skiing
FILE - Bronze medalist Lindsey Vonn of the United States hold the Stars and Stripes during the flower ceremony for the Women's super-G at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Feb. 20, 2010. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer, File)
FILE - Bronze medal winner Lindsey Vonn, of the United States, smiles during the flower ceremony for the women's downhill at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Jeongseon, South Korea, Feb. 21, 2018. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)
FILE - Lindsey Vonn of the United States, reacts in the finish area after completing the Women's downhill at the Vancouver 2010 Olympics in Whistler, British Columbia, Feb. 17, 2010. (AP Photo/Gero Breloer, File)
