A major part of Rassie Erasmus’ success with the Springboks has been the willingness to build capacity and depth while sacrificing the odd Test win.
Blooding new players for the greater good — winning back-to-back Rugby World Cup — has been something that Rassie Erasmus has got right as boss of the Springboks.
Erasmus didn’t have much time before the 2019 World Cup when he took over, but blooded many players to give them a taste of big-time rugby before going on to win the tournament.
The process intensified before the 2023 showpiece event, with the Boks chopping and changing quite a bit, which saw them lose a number of Test matches, including at home against the likes of Wales.
But in building that capacity and knowing who was a right fit for the Springboks, Erasmus created a team that managed to get through three World Cup playoff matches with one-point victories. A team that knows how to win against all odds.
The Springboks are at the beginning of another World Cup cycle, and while Erasmus mentioned earlier this year that they will be prioritising results a lot more this time around, he have picked a few new faces for the first Test of the year against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday.
The Boks are currently without several first-choice players who are recovering from injuries and niggles. Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am and Damian Willemse are among the injured players, while there is also a long list of players who are ineligible for selection due to the Bulls advancing to the final of United Rugby Championship and the Test falling outside of the international window.
Edwill van der Merwe (wing) and Jordan Hendrikse (flyhalf) are the two uncapped players named in run-on team, while Ben-Jason Dixon (lock) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (utility back) are the two new faces on the replacements bench.
“We knew what challenges we would face in selecting the squad for this training camp and the Wales Test, but as a team we turned it into a fantastic opportunity to blood a few youngsters and expose them to the national set-up, which will be vital in the next few years as we build a squad capable of trying to win the Rugby World Cup in 2027,” said Erasmus.
“We are already reaping the rewards of exposing a few players to Test rugby in the last few years, with some of them being selected for the World Cup, while a few of the players taking the field on Saturday already know what it takes to succeed at international level.
“Building squad depth is one of our key pillars as a team, and this camp and Test match, as well as the one coming up against Portugal in Bloemfontein in the Castle Lager Incoming Series, will allow us to tick that box with an eye on the next few years.”
@JohnGoliath82
IOL Sport