South Africa name Edinburgh prop in starting XV as any Scotland Six Nations hopes dashed

Venter has been with Edinburgh since February 2021 following a move from the Cheetahs and has emerged as an important part of the capital side’s pack. He would have become eligible for Scotland on residency grounds in time for the 2026 Six Nations, but any plans for him being part of head coach Gregor Townsend’s plans have been dashed after the Springboks handed him his first start.

Venter, who was born in Kimberley, South Africa, was called up by head coach Rassie Erasmus last month as part of a 45-man squad for the summer internationals. Following two wins over Italy - in which Venter played no part - the Boks boss has decided to completely reconfigure his front row for the match on Saturday against the Georgians at Mbombela Stadium. Venter is due to line up alongside Marnus van der Merwe and Neethling Fouche, who are also uncapped.

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi returns to the first XV and on his team selection, Erasmus explained: “We wanted to make sure that Siya is 100 per cent fit before selecting him, so it’s great to have him back in the squad, while Boan, Marnus, and Neethling have been training hard and deserve their chance.

“Marnus and Neethling played against the Barbarians, so they have an idea of what international rugby is about, while Boan has shown great potential at club level and with the squad in the last few weeks, and we are looking forward to seeing him play.

“Building squad depth has been one of our pillars as a squad since 2018, and they are all undoubtedly ready to make the step-up.

 “We know how passionate and intense this Georgian side is, and they will be determined to make a strong statement, so we selected some experienced players who we would like to get more game time before the Castle Lager Rugby Championship, and a few of the younger players, who have put up their hands another run, so we are pleased with the balance we have in this group.

“Georgia are a tough outfit, and they pride themselves on their physicality and brute force in the collisions, so the set pieces, mauls, and breakdowns will be key areas.

“They also have quality backline players to round off their team, so we need to be sharp in all the departments of our game to ensure that we continue to lift our standards, build momentum, and get the desired result.”