Fresh from their emphatic 66-7 demolition of Italy in Turin, the Springboks have made just two changes to their matchday 23, with Erasmus showing faith in the players who delivered an impressive performance against the Azzurri.

The only change to the starting XV sees Wilco Louw return to the starting line-up at tighthead prop, joining Ox Nché and Malcolm Marx in an imposing front row. Thomas du Toit moves to the replacements bench, where he will join Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Gerhard Steenekamp.

The second adjustment comes among the replacements, with experienced scrumhalf Cobus Reinach coming into the matchday squad at the expense of Grant Williams.

Reinach, who previously represented French club Montpellier, brings valuable experience and an understanding of French rugby, something that could prove useful in what is expected to be a fiercely contested encounter.

Elsewhere, Erasmus has kept his starting combination intact, with Lood de Jager and Ruan Nortje again partnering in the second row. Captain Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Jasper Wiese complete a formidable loose trio.

Morné van den Berg and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu retain the halfback combination, while Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende will continue their partnership in midfield. Ethan Hooker, Kurt-Lee Arendse, and Damian Willemse make up the back three.

The Springboks have also maintained their six-two split on the bench, with Franco Mostert, Cameron Hanekom and Paul de Villiers providing forward cover alongside the three front-row replacements. Reinach and Manie Libbok are the two backline options.

There is considerable experience of facing France within the selected group. Sixteen players featured in last year’s 32-17 victory over Les Bleus in Paris, while ten were also involved in South Africa's dramatic 29-28 Rugby World Cup quarter-final triumph in 2023.

Erasmus believes retaining a settled combination is important as the Boks look to build momentum in the Northern Series.

Wilco Louw. Photo: Springboks

“We said from the outset that we would not rotate too much on this tour, so it was always our intention to select a settled squad for this game to build momentum in the competition,” he said.

The coach also believes the familiarity of several players with French conditions and the atmosphere at the Stade de France will count in their favour.

One notable omission is veteran lock Eben Etzebeth, who arrived in France early on Monday after spending time on the sidelines. However, Erasmus is reluctant to rush the powerful second-row forward back into action.

Although Etzebeth’s experience is invaluable, the coaching staff believe another week of training will help him regain his rhythm. De Jager and Mostert, meanwhile, have been preparing with the squad for almost two weeks.

Erasmus expects France to provide a significantly tougher examination than the one Italy offered, particularly given the history between the two nations.

The French have pushed South Africa to the limit in their previous meetings, and Friday’s encounter is unlikely to be any different.

“Matches between us and France are always intense, and this week will be no different,” Erasmus said.

Cobus Reinach. Photo: Morgan Piek

With France fourth in the world rankings and leading the Northern Hemisphere standings, both teams have plenty to play for as they chase a place in the Nations Championship final.

Erasmus knows his side will have to withstand the French forward power, cope with a passionate home crowd, and make their scoring opportunities count.

“They have a good pack of forwards and dangerous backs, so we need to be at our best to get the desired result,” he added.

Saturday’s Test between France and the Springboks at Stade de France in Saint-Denis kicks off at 22:10

Springboks - 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 9 Morné van den Berg, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nché

Replacements - 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Cameron Hanekom, 21 Paul de Villiers, 22 Cobus Reinach, 23 Manie Libbok

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cvs