Van den Berg Set to Start for Springboks
The Lions flyhalf is slated to face Italy on Saturday in South Africa's fourth-round Nations Championship fixture.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Soccer
Morné van den Berg is set to start for South Africa against Italy in the Nations Championship on Saturday. The 29-year-old returned to the Lions in October after missing the first half of the international season with a nearly three-month injury lay-off.
Why it matters
The start marks a return to Test rugby for a player who has scored six tries in 10 Springbok appearances. Selection pressure within the squad, including competition from Herschel Jantjies, Faf de Klerk and Embrose Papier, is shaping the remaining tournament.
Van den Berg has scored six tries and one conversion across 10 Springbok Tests. The extraction does not confirm his match-day fitness beyond his selection.
The players
Morné van den Berg
Van den Berg is a 29-year-old Springbok and Lions player who has scored six tries in 10 Tests for South Africa.
Herschel Jantjies
Jantjies is a Springbok player competing for selection in the squad alongside Van den Berg.
Faf de Klerk
De Klerk is an experienced Springbok scrum-half pushing for selection in the current squad.
The details
Van den Berg missed much of the early international season before returning to the Lions in October to bolster their United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup campaigns. Teammates Cobus Reinach and Grant Williams are also part of the current squad, and players have been supporting one another through the week while taking things one match at a time.
Timeline
October 2026: Van den Berg returns to the Lions.
Saturday: South Africa plays Italy in the fourth-round Nations Championship fixture.
Season Trajectory
The remaining Nations Championship fixtures against Italy, France and Ireland, followed by a finals weekend, are being viewed by some as preparation for next year's World Cup. How the squad performs over these matches will shape selection options heading into that tournament.
Van den Berg's start means fantasy and team-selection watchers will track whether he holds his place through the remaining fixtures. Selection decisions made in these matches could determine who is in the squad for the World Cup preparation phase.
The takeaway
Van den Berg's return after a lengthy injury lay-off shows how quickly selection can change in a competitive squad. Following the remaining Nations Championship fixtures will show which players are pushing for places ahead of next year's World Cup.
What happens next
South Africa faces Italy on Saturday, with the remaining Nations Championship fixtures against France and Ireland to follow before a finals weekend.
Further reading
Explore more coverage in Soccer for the wider sporting context around this fixture.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Citizen.
