Rassie Erasmus has shed light on his latest Springboks selection, a team to face Italy on Saturday in Turin that has 11 changes from the side that defeated France 32-17 last weekend in Paris.
Only prop Boan Venter, skipper Siya Kolisi, winger Kurt-Lee Arendse and full-back Damian Willemse have retained their starting places, with Erasmus deciding that this third match of their five-game tour was the ideal opportunity to change things up now with Ireland on the horizon in game four in Dublin on November 22.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the South Africa line-up is Erasmus’ decision to combine the retained loosehead Venter with hooker Johan Grobbelaar and tighthead Zachary Porthen in a front-row that has just 12 caps to its credit.
Venter has just six caps, Grobbelaar five and Porthen one. While the rookie trio have the 26-cap Wilco Louw and the 13-cap Gerhard Steenekamp in reserve as the bench props, the feeling of experimentation is added to by having no specialist hooker amongst the replacements.
“You slowly build it up…”
Instead, that responsibility will be given to the starting number eight Marco van Staden. The back-rower has provided hooker cover once before, versus Tonga at the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, and Erasmus spoke confidently about the front-row plan he has now hatched away to the Italians.
“Definitely, we are saving Thomas (du Toit) a little bit for the Irish match as we won’t have him after that when we play Wales, as that is outside the window,” began the head coach. “We felt Boan is now on cap seven and is doing pretty well. Johan is on cap five or six, and he did really well when he came on (in France), even for only five or six minutes.
“And then Zach has played one match for us. But on the bench, there is nice security in the two props that have always played together, Gerhard and Wilco. And then Marco is our cover at hooker. He is starting in another position, but he will cover.
“We have been doing that with Marco for the last five years… he played against Tonga in the front-row at the last World Cup in the front-row. So just like we are doing with Andre (Esterhuizen), who we are making play forwards and backline, but you slowly build it up, first against Barbarians and then a tier two nation, then eventually a side like France.
“So, Marco is probably in a position where we think if he gets well through this Italy Test match at hooker for a couple of minutes, there is another box ticked. But it also might backfire on us, and then we know it doesn’t work and we will make another plan. That’s the thinking with the front-rows.”
Springboks team: Five takeaways including Rassie Erasmus’ ‘smart ploy’ while next-gen pairing challenged by Italy’s telepathic combo
Springboks team: Winners and losers as ‘one to watch’ emerges while Rassie Erasmus’ ‘gamble’ reveals Rugby World Cup plan
Another unfamiliar combination is the pairing of Ethan Hooker with Canan Moodie in midfield. Again, though, it is a punt that Erasmus sounded optimistic about. “The big thing is, I know if you ask Ethan what his favourite position is, he says 12. You ask Canan what’s your favourite position, he says 13.
“Canan has done great things at 13 and we think he deserves a chance. We are also giving Jesse (Kriel) a bit of a rest there and Canan, out of 20 matches, has lost just once in the Springbok jersey, but he is just as comfortable on the wing.
“And then Ethan, who plays 13 and wing all the time, while his preferred position is 12. Damian (de Allende) and Jesse are coming off that physical battle against France.
“Although we won, we were down to 14 men, and it really took a lot out of the guys and the travel schedule from then was tough. It was late at night to get here, flights and bus trips, and so the training on Monday was tough for the guys, they were really stiff.”
Springboks: Edwill van der Merwe reveals ‘the biggest thing’ which keeps him motivated ahead of potential recall
Ireland great: Opponents are ‘dreading’ facing the Springboks who are ‘head and shoulders’ above the rest of the world
One positional selection that can’t be classed as experimental is the recall of veteran Handre Pollard at fly-half. New star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was the Springboks number 10 in their last five matches, but two-time Rugby World Cup winner Pollard is now poised for his first appearance since starting in the September 6 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland.
“Handre is the vice-captain for this game. It’s always tempting to put Handre in the team but on the other side, you want to grow the other players as well. Handre is close to milestones in terms of Test caps… and what Handre does for Sacha and even Damian Willemse, and what Manie (Libbok) does for Sacha, they understand.
“The tough thing for Handre is that he is not an old guy. He is 31 and some fly-halves have played World Cup quarter-finals, semi-finals, finals at 38, so he is definitely a competitive guy, but he always puts the team first.
“When you are not selected here, you are a bit down for a day or two but then you are back on the horse and helping the other boys to prepare.”
Brian O’Driscoll dismisses Springboks comparisons as he addresses loss of ‘generational players’
Justin Marshall in ‘scathing attack’ as France ‘reap what they sow’ following All Blacks ‘disrespect’
Erasmus added that the decision not to call up cover for the suspended Lood de Jager was a dry-run situation with the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia in mind. “We feel we have enough locks to cover us. Like a World Cup squad size is 33 and it’s even more games. This is a five-week tour. It’s not nice but we have to make plans.”
The number one-ranked South Africa are expected to extend their current five-match winning run to six on Saturday, but they are mindful of facing an opposition that last weekend defeated Australia and who caused them some headaches during last July’s two-Test series.
“They are really good at the breakdown,” vouched Erasmus, looking back on the Azzurri fixtures four months ago in Pretoria and Gqeberha. “We didn’t just get frustrated, but we got outplayed at the breakdown with their ability.
“In one game, they had 66 bites at the breakdown. It just shows how they focus and they technically know when to do it, it really well. So that is something we will try to sort out, which is a tough thing to do. They will be tough.”
READ MORE: Eddie Jones blasts ‘ridiculous refereeing decision’ as Lood de Jager was trying to do ‘everything right’
