Eben Etzebeth will make his return from a shoulder injury when he captains the Springboks against New Zealand in Auckland on Saturday.
Springbok stand-in captain Duane Vermeulen has confronted the reality that his time in green and gold is nearing an end, just like that of most of his 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning teammates.
Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids said he expected a physical grind against New Zealand at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland in the second Rugby Championship clash on Saturday.
The Springboks will depart for New Zealand on Sunday with a great sense of satisfaction after completing their third biggest victory ever over Australia at Loftus Versfeld.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber on Saturday night named a group of 21 players to join their teammates in New Zealand for next week's second Rugby Championship outing against the All Blacks.
The Springboks started their 2023 campaign in ominous fashion as they recorded an utterly dominant 43-12 victory over a wobbly Wallabies outfit in front of 50 000 fans in Pretoria.