Centre Am to replace injured wing Mapimpi for South Africa

South Africa have confirmed centre Lukhanyo Am has replaced wing Makazole Mapimpi in their squad for Rugby World Cup 2023.

Mapimpi fractured his cheek bone in the Springboks' 49-18 win against Tonga on Sunday. Am won the RWC with South Africa in 2019 and made the assist for Mapimpi's try in the final against England.

Am did not make the original squad because of a knee injury he sustained in August but has now returned to training. The 29-year-old will join the South Africa squad in Toulon this week.

This change comes after fly-half Handre Pollard replaced hooker Malcolm Marx, who suffered a knee injury, in their squad.

The defending champions beat Scotland 18-3 in their opening Pool B match in Marseille, with further wins against Romania and Tonga, but were defeated by Ireland.

Forwards

Prop

Steven Kitshoff (Ulster – 74 caps, 10 points)
Vincent Koch (Cell C Sharks – 45 caps, 0 points)
Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers – 61 caps, 5 points)
Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks – 19 caps, 0 points)
Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92 – 61 caps, 5 points)

Hooker

Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks – 60 caps, 60 points)

Second-row

Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks – 112 caps, 25 points)
Jean Kleyn (Munster – 2 caps, 0 points)
Marvin Orie (Perpignan – 14 caps, 0 points)
RG Snyman (Munster – 26 caps, 5 points)

Flanker

Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz – 69 caps, 30 points)
Siya Kolisi (captain – Racing 92 – 75 caps, 45 points)
Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs – 33 caps, 25 points)
Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls – 12 caps, 0 points)
Duane Vermeulen (SA Rugby – 68 caps, 15 points)
Jasper Wiese (Leicester – 22 caps, 5 points)

Utility forward

Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers – 7 caps, 0 points)
Franco Mostert (Honda Heat – 65 caps, 15 points)

Backs

Scrum-half

Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles – 48 caps, 44 points)
Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks – 12 caps, 12 points)
Cobus Reinach (Montpelllier – 25 caps, 45 points)
Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks – 4 caps, 0 points)

Fly-half

Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers – 7 caps, 45 points)
Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers – 31 caps, 36 points)
Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers - 65 caps, 665 points)

Centre

Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights – 72 caps, 50 points)
Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins – 13 caps, 0 points)
Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles – 61 caps, 60 points)
Lukhanyo Am 

Wing / full back

Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls – 10 caps, 50 points)
Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath – 25 caps, 81 points)
Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls – 86 caps, 65 points)
Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls – 6 caps, 10 points)

Changes in bold. Players replaced from original squad of 33: Malcolm Marx, Makazole Mapimpi