Just two months after club debut, Vusi Moyo starts for Springboks

Vusi Moyo

Johannesburg – Fly-half Vusi Moyo makes his Test debut for Rugby World Cup title-holders South Africa against Wales on Saturday in the Nations Championship, just two months after playing his first senior club match.

The 20-year-old will be the focus of attention at his home ground in Durban, where he made his first appearance for the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship.

As world champions South Africa chase a third straight victory in the new competition, Moyo admitted his selection by coach Rassie Erasmus took him “completely by surprise”.

“Every South African rugby player dreams of playing for the Springboks, but I was stunned after discovering I would start,” said Moyo who will partner veteran scrum-half Cobus Reinach.

“It is very special to be around Cobus Reinach and the other Springboks. I want to make my family and those who helped me develop proud.

“Being included in the squad allows me to work with players I admire. I am now on the training ground with them. That is special.”

Erasmus has said he plans to have five or six players vying for each position when he chooses his squad for the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

The head coach took just one fly-half, Manie Libbok, to the 2023 World Cup in France, which South Africa won to retain a trophy they lifted in Japan four years earlier.

During the tournament he added a second playmaker, Handre Pollard, as a replacement for injured hooker Malcolm Marx.

It proved a masterstroke as Pollard slotted the four penalties that beat arch rivals New Zealand in the final.

After a stellar 2025 season, including a Springbok record 37 points against Argentina, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is the first choice fly-half, but he is injured.

‘Kicks brilliantly’ 

Creative Libbok and ace goal-kicker Pollard started in the previous two Nations Championship Tests. Now Moyo gets his chance.

“For his age, Vusi is a big boy. He certainly does not stand back from the physical side of the game,” said Erasmus.

“He kicks brilliantly off the tee, his restarts are excellent, he kicks well to touch, and at goal.

“We want to see him in a Test after impressing in training and also against the Barbarians off the bench. For a big guy, he has got really soft hands.”

Moyo slotted a conversion last month in the season-opening victory against the Barbarians, but it was an exhibition match with no caps awarded.

Erasmus has selected three other new caps – Sharks winger Jaco Williams, Bordeaux-Begles tighthead prop Carlu Sadie and Montpellier lock Ruben van Heerden.

Wales, winners against Fiji and losers to Argentina in previous rounds, have changed six of the team that started in Cordoba.

Head coach Steve Tandy said a “desire for freshness” was behind his decisions, which include a new centre partnership of Max Llewellyn and Ben Thomas.

Wing Louis Rees-Zammit and fly-half Dan Edwards return as starters after playing against Fiji.

Lock Teddy Williams makes his first Test start in a year after injury and flanker Alex Mann is recalled after facing the Fijians.

Winger Josh Adams, set for a third Test in as many weeks, stressed the need to “front up physically and stay in the fight” against the Springboks.

He added that playing the world champions in South Africa is the “hardest test for any team”.

Wales suffered a 73-point drubbing when the teams met in Cardiff last November.

Teams (15-1)

South Africa

Aphelele Fassi; Jaco Williams, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse; Vusi Moyo, Cobus Reinach; Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit (capt), Paul de Villiers; Ruben van Heerden, Cobus Wiese; Carlu Sadie, Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp

Replacements: Andre-Hugo Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, Ben-Jason Dixon, Marco van Staden, Herschel Jantjies, Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse

Coach: Rassie Erasmus (RSA)

Wales

Blair Murray; Louis Rees-Zammit, Max Llewellyn, Ben Thomas, Josh Adams; Dan Edwards, Tomos Williams; Aaron Wainwright, Jac Morgan, Alex Mann; Adam Beard, Teddy Williams; Dillon Lewis, Dewi Lake (capt), Rhys Carre

Replacements: Ryan Elias, Nicky Smith, Ben Warren, Freddie Thomas, Tommy Reffell, James Botham, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Joe Hawkins

Coach: Steve Tandy (WAL)

Referee: Andrew Brace (IRL)

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