Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has decided to rest seven frontline players from the forthcoming trip to Argentina, where the world champions will go out to clinch the Castle Lager Rugby Championship title against the Los Pumas in Santiago on 21 September.
Rassie Erasmus has named his 28-man Springbok squad for the tour to Argentina 🇿🇦🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/N4XG5cNi7Z
— SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) September 10, 2024
With the Championship on the line following the Pumas’ record win against Australia last weekend it will be seen as a bold move on the part of Erasmus to omit double World Cup winners Bongi Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe and Willie le Roux from the 28-man group that will fly out later this week.
But perhaps the biggest surprise is that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is also in the group sitting out the tour, with Manie Libbok and Handre Pollard named as the two flyhalves. Pollard played against the All Blacks in Cape Town at the weekend while Libbok, although in the extended squad for the home matches against the Kiwis, has not worn the No10 since the match against Portugal in Bloemfontein in mid-July.
It is a selection though consistent both with Erasmus’ assertion that the players have had a heavy workload and need a rest from playing before the Pumas arrive in South Africa for the return Rugby Championship game in Nelspruit on 28 September as well as his stated desire to build the experience of the wider group.
Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been involved in every game the Boks have played in this year since he made his debut as a replacement in the match against Wales that started the international season in London in June. Since then he has played against Ireland twice and Portugal as a replacement, twice against Australia in the starting team and once against the All Blacks, as well as a second half replacement in Cape Town in the most recent clash with the Kiwis.
Erasmus did say after the 18-12 win over the All Blacks that concluded the mini-series and clinched the Freedom Cup for the Boks for the first time in 15 years that he would be keeping some players back from the Argentina tour. He said there’d be too separate squads, with one preparing at home for the Nelspruit game.
There are no newcomers to the group going to Santiago, but Bulls hooker Johan Grobbelaar, who played against Portugal and also started against Australia, is back in the mix, and with only two hookers selected, the other being Malcolm Marx, he is likely to be in the match 22 in Santiago. Jan-Hendrik Wessels also plays hooker and was listed as a utility forward. He played loosehead prop in the Perth game against the Wallabies, and it is likely he will be used there again if he plays, although the Boks have two good looseheads in the group in the form of Ox Nche and Gerhard Steenekamp.
ETZEBETH SET TO EQUAL RECORD
One player in the group who has played a lot is Eben Etzebeth, with the lock listed in some speculative pieces as a player who might take a rest in one or both of the Argentina games. He is closing in on the record for Bok caps held by another legendary lock, Victor Matfield, and looks set to equal the mark if he gets onto the field in Santiago.
Salmaan Moerat, who is the alternative Bok captain and plays Etzebeth’s position, is travelling, as is the regular captain Siya Kolisi. There was talk of the Sharks flanker being unavailable so that he could have the injury that momentarily threatened his participation in the second All Black game sorted out but that is not the case.
Marco van Staden, Kolisi’s backup at openside flank, is back in the group after missing the All Black games.
With De Allende among those staying home, Lukhanyo Am and Jesse Kriel are the only specialist midfield players and look likely to play as a combination against the Pumas, although it should be noted that Canan Moodie is listed in the squad as a utility back. As well as playing wing, which is where he started in the most recent game against the All Blacks, he also covers outside centre as well as potentially fullback.
Aphelele Fassi, so excellent in the Johannesburg game against the All Blacks, is set to return to the starting fullback position in place of Le Roux, while the choice of wing will be between Kurt-Lee Arendse, Makazole Mapimpi and Moodie.
There are no surprises at scrumhalf, while Ben-Jason Dixon, as the only specialist blindside flank, looks set to retake the No7 jersey he wore against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, with the excellent incumbent Du Toit playing the following week at the Mbombela Stadium.
It will be interesting to see if Erasmus gives Moerat another go at No4 lock, with Etzebeth playing off the bench like he did in Perth only to be introduced to the game early when Moerat had to leave the field following a concussion.
Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, who has yet to play after being called into the squad from Montpellier a few weeks ago, is another option at second row forward while Ruan Nortje will get the opportunity to further build on the experience he has started to accumulate as a member of the Bok starting team. He is the only specialist middle of the lineout jumper and leader in the group.
RASSIE CONFIDENT PLAYERS WILL SHINE
“This is a short tour and we are confident that we have sufficient cover in all positions within this group,” said Erasmus in announcing the squad.
“Some players, such as Johan Grobbelaar, Manie Libbok and Canan Moodie, to name a few, will benefit immensely from more game time at this level, while others such as Aphelele Fassi and Ben -Jason Dixon have grabbed their chances with both hands this season and we are excited to get them back into action.”
Erasmus added that the main objective from the trip to Santiago was to beat Argentina and clinch the Championship with one game to spare.
“We know how gruelling it’s going to be over there and that it will take a massive effort to beat Argentina,” he said.
“But as we have shown all season, we have full faith in all the players in the wider group and we believe that we have such a wealth of squad depth that any young player can step up and fill the boots of a more experienced player. Although it will be tough, we want to see what these players can do in such a pressure-cooker game.
“We are going there with the goal of winning the competition. The squad boasts a good mix of youth and experience, which we feel will bode well for the tour.”
SQUAD FOR ARGENTINA TRIP:
Utility Back: Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls).
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Centres: Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers).
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks).
Loose Forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon (DHL Stormers), Siya Kolisi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizouka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg (Montpellier), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls).
Props: Thomas du Toit (Bath), Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls).
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears).
Utility Forward: Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls).