South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus made it quite clear Thursday he hopes to bash Japan off the field this weekend as he named a full-strength side for their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal game in Tokyo.

With much being made about how the Springboks will look to use their physicality to get past the Brave Blossoms, Erasmus has opted for a 6:2 split between forwards and backs among the replacements, only the third time he has done so in 24 matches.

(South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus)

The team that will run out Sunday at Tokyo Stadium (Ajinomoto Stadium) shows 13 changes from their previous game against Canada and is the same 23 that hammered Italy 49-3 in Pool B action.

While he admitted his selection was in part to make the most of his side's physicality, Erasmus said it also had to do with the high-paced rugby Japan play.

"If you look at our team selection, we've gone with the six-two split, which a lot of people will think we will be pretty forward-orientated, and try to dominate," he said.

"That is true in one sense, but in another sense, the way Japan play, they do exploit your tired and bigger forward defenders late in the first and second half."

"We tend to think that in our team selection, having two fresh packs of tight forwards, we might nullify the space that they might try to use during the game."

The team, to be captained by flanker Siya Kolisi, shows three changes from the last time they played Japan -- on Sept. 6 in Kumagaya -- with loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira, who makes his 100th test start, hooker Mbongeni Mbonambi and lock Lodewyk de Jager coming in for Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx and Franco Mostert.

South Africa won that match 41-7 with Makazole Mapimpi scoring a hat-trick of tries, Cheslin Kolbe bagging a brace, and Herschel Jantjies also touching down.

Mapimpi and Kolbe start the quarterfinal on the wings, while Jantjies is one of the two backs on the bench.

"That result is almost irrelevant and puts the Brighton test match out of the way because you are almost only as good as your last game. We can forget Brighton and Kumagaya now and focus on the quarterfinals," Erasmus said, referring to the two previous meetings between the teams in 2015 and 2019.

"The way Japan have improved since that game is tremendous, because they have beaten Ireland and Scotland, and topped the pool. And they did it in style."

Mtawarira, De Jager and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit and replacement back-row forward Francois Louw all started the 34-32 defeat by Japan at Rugby World Cup 2015, while lock Eben Etzebeth and flyhalf Handre Pollard came off the bench during that match.

"It's no secret -- I'm not giving away any team secrets. The match 23 is probably our best, in-form, current fit players, which is why I went with the six-two split," Erasmus said.

"To nullify the space around the tight forwards, with the pace that they have. And (another reason) is to play towards our strengths, which is physical rugby, set-phases, mauling, scrums."

"We will definitely try to play the game at our pace, and they will try to play the game at their pace."

"That will be a tactical battle, and it's tough for me to say now who will be able to enforce that. But that will be a really big battle from the coaching staff, and the 15 players on the field."

Japan coach Jamie Joseph will name his team on Friday for the final of the four knock-out games to be played this weekend.