The negativity around some aspects of the Springbok performance in Pretoria can be balanced out by the reality that coach Rassie Erasmus has many selection options available to him. So many in fact that it makes the team to be announced on Tuesday for this weekend’s second test extremely difficult to predict.
Erasmus said after the 42-24 win at Loftus that started South Africa’s test team that 14 of the 23 to do duty in the second game in Gqeberha had already been decided. He also said, quite ominously no doubt for some of the Bok players, that some of the players he thought were first choice players had become second choice players.
Tuesday afternoon’s selection won’t necessarily tell us who has dropped down in the pecking order. For that is not the way Erasmus rolls, he doesn’t necessarily go with what he might consider the full strength team he’d field if the next match was a World Cup final into every game. He will probably do that against New Zealand in Auckland in September, for that is the big day writ large on the Bok calendar, but in the meantime his selections will be around spreading depth and giving players game time.
DIDN’T MAKE THE NEEDED STATEMENT LAST WEEK
What was apparent last week though was that the team selected for Pretoria was based around a need to start the season by making a strong statement. It was clear from his post-match demeanour, and what he said, that the side that dominated the first half but fell away in the second didn’t do that.
Which means any newcomers into the side announced on Tuesday will have a carrot dangled in front of them, something palpable to play for. And after last week’s sobering second half, a response will be demanded at the Nelson Mandela Stadium against a side that the Boks have clear respect for.
But who will be the players that front? What we do know is that there will almost certainly be different halfbacks. Erasmus has indicated that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be back in the No10 jersey he wore in the big win over the Barbarians. That was not something he based on Handre Pollard’s performance last weekend, for it appears he’d decided that before the game.
And it wouldn’t be an indication that Morne van den Berg, who was a deserved man of the match against Italy and was arguably much better against the Barbarians before that, has slipped in the pecking order that Cobus Reinach is likely to wear the No 9 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. It will be a rotational move based around giving as many players as possible game time.
We also know that Thomas du Toit, who was on media duty on Monday, is going to start. Probably on the loosehead side of the scrum, as that is the area that Erasmus is most concerned about given the injuries (and one retirement) that has changed the landscape in that position. Bongi Mbonambi didn’t look like an impact player when he came on at Loftus, but is he even a starter in his current form, which was poor at the Sharks too?
MOERAT NEEDS GAME TIME
Despite the injuries and Steven Kitshoff’s retirement, Erasmus does have a myriad of options when it comes to front row, and you could say the same about the rest of the pack. Siya Kolisi is expected back this week, but this is the kind of game where we might expect Erasmus to select Salmaan Moerat into the second row. And give him the captaincy.
Moerat hasn’t played since the Stormers lost their Vodacom United Rugby Championship quarterfinal to Glasgow Warriors, which was well over a month ago now. He is due for some game time.
So is Ruan Nortje, the Bulls captain, but here is where it gets interesting - Nortje ended the franchise season playing at blindside flank, and doing it very well. Erasmus has expressed his delight before that the now former Bulls coach Jake White “has helped me” by making that move. With Pieter-Steph du Toit not yet available, we could see Nortje on the side of the scrum with Kolisi as his partner.
Jasper Wiese was one of the established Boks who did well at Loftus and after his long layoff he needs more game time so Evan Roos may have to wait for the Georgia game in Nelspruit the following week to get his opportunity.
Given that Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be playing flyhalf, and Erasmus does highlight his lack of experience there every time he does, we may not see Andre Esterhuizen line up in the No12, even though he is due for a run there. Erasmus does have yet another option though - Damian Willemse is potentially an international calibre inside centre and could bring an interesting dynamic to the 10/12 axis if he plays there.
WILLIE LIKELY TO START FOR 100th GAME
Given the wakeup call that was delivered by Italy in the second half at Loftus though, this might not be the time to do that. As it turns out, Willemse may be the only other alternative in the one position that Erasmus doesn’t have an abundance of options - outside centre. Jesse Kriel, who has captained the first two games, owns the No13 jersey, but with Lukhanyo Am out for six more weeks with injury, who is his backup?
Of course Damian de Allende can play there, but Willemse, who the Stormers have thought of trying in that position, may be the only other option. It is unlikely to be something that Erasmus tries when it comes to the starting team, but in the absence of other specialist 13s in the squad it must be something Erasmus is thinking about.
Willemse played fullback last week but it looks likely that Willie le Roux will start on the occasion of his 100th cap. It will be interesting to see what Erasmus does on the wings, with Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe having played both games so far.
This is not a time when we can second guess Erasmus by running with a prospective team as so much is open, all of which adds a lot of interest and intrigue to the team announcement scheduled for mid-afternoon.