Is it back to the future, or will the majority of the fringe squad get their chance when the Springboks take on Portugal in Bloemfontein on Saturday?
That’s the question ahead of the one-off test against the World Cup romantics when coach Rassie Erasmus names his side this Tuesday for the clash, knowing there is a massive appetite to develop young talent and increase depth for the Bok squad.
Erasmus has called up five new players, and has a squad of 41 going to Bloemfontein, although many of them will leave halfway through the week when the team’s preparations have been done and the test team remains to focus on the job at hand.
There has been the added talking point on injuries, as several players who are doubtful after the Durban test may make those playing in Bloemfontein’s roles a lot more important than a week ago, especially with a long Rugby Championship lying ahead.
Franco Mostert (knee) and Edwill van der Merwe (unknown) have already been ruled out with injury, while Caelan Doris’ knee roll on Malcolm Marx may leave him a concern ahead of the Rugby Championship. The roll, which earned Doris a yellow card, looked as if it was intended to injure, and the Boks will be privately fuming about this. Marx played no rugby for nine months after getting injured at the World Cup and was only on his third game back when the incident happened.
While we don’t know the extent of the injury, Erasmus did say it “was concerning” after the game on Saturday and only time will tell. Fullback Willie le Roux is likely to be rested as well after he was concussed in the opening minutes of the Durban test.
So where does that leave Erasmus in terms of selection. While the Bok coach won’t want to go full out and make 18 changes, as he and Jacques Nienaber did in the same city two years ago against Wales, a fair chunk of the fringe players will get a run.
That doesn’t mean it will necessarily be new faces. Lukhanyo Am is set to have a role after returning from injury, as is Canan Moodie who also rejoined the squad last weekend. Andre Esterhuizen has been kept out of the midfield and with Damian de Allende released for personal reasons, is likely to take the 12 jersey.
With Le Roux out, the Boks should turn to Aphelele Fassi, with Quan Horn an outside chance as well to make the squad, although Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu may be given more of an opportunity to build on his 78 minutes he had to play in Durban after Le Roux came off early.
If there are changes, they are likely to come more in the forwards, with Manie Libbok the favourite to take the 10 jersey and Grant Williams and Morne van den Berg looking like the two scrumhalves in the match day 23.
Just how much experience Erasmus feels is necessary will be interesting, especially as there are only three locks in the squad, with Mostert joining Lood de Jager and Jean Kleyn on the injured list.
That means that if the Boks stick to their chosen three, RG Snyman could be in for a start, while it waits to be seen if Salmaan Moerat is tasked with the four jersey or if Eben Etzebeth stays to lend his experience to the team.
Johan Grobbelaar, the third choice hooker, will now have his role scrutinised and the game is the ideal opportunity to give him his first test cap, especially in the light of Marx’s knee but whether the Boks keep Bongi Mbonambi on for experience, or add Andre-Hugo Venter is another of the questions that need to be answered.
The loose trio is also fascinating - especially if Siya Kolisi leads the side, does it mean that Evan Roos returns to eight for another cap, or is there a test for Phepsi Buthelezi, while Marco van Staden will want a run as well. Depending on what the Boks do with the lock position, where they have options in the likes of Pieter-Steph du Toit, Ben-Jason Dixon, Ruan Venter or even Elrigh Louw, the rest of the loose trio is likely to be influenced by the threat Portugal pose. Dixon is the most likely player in the Du Toit mould and it is expected that he may play there.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels’ cameo at loosehead for the Bulls this past weekend suggests he may get a run there sometime in Bloemfontein as he is very much a part of Erasmus’ plan for 2027.
But the rest of the fringe players may have to wait for their opportunities, as the Boks have already signalled their plan to give players time during the entire international season, and not all at once in this game.
“It was always part of our planning to expose a few players to top class international rugby against Portugal in line with our objective to build squad depth with an eye on the 2027 Rugby World Cup,” said Erasmus.
“Some of the players had a taste of international rugby against Wales at Twickenham, others received an opportunity off the bench against Ireland, and Andre-Hugo Venter toured with us to London for the Wales test, so we are delighted with the quality of the players coming through the ranks.
“Portugal are a quality team as they showed in the Rugby World Cup last year by defeating Fiji, and we have no doubt they’ll want to make a strong statement against us, so although we may mix things up for this test, we’ll select a quality team that we have full faith in to get our season back on track.”
Erasmus added: “The players we plan to release will continue to put in the hard yards to prepare the team that will face Portugal, as we generally do with the non-playing players, which is invaluable in preparing the team as well as possible.”
Erasmus will announce his matchday team to face Portugal on Tuesday.
Springbok squad for the match against Portugal:
Props: Ntuthuko Mchunu, Ox Nche (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Gerhard Steenekamp, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (both Vodacom Bulls), Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Vincent Koch, Trevor Nyakane (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Thomas du Toit (Bath).
Hookers: Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls), Andre-Hugo Venter (DHL Stormers).
Locks: Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers), RG Snyman (Leinster).
Loose forwards: Siya Kolisi (Racing 92), Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden (both Vodacom Bulls), Phepsi Buthelezi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Ben-Jason Dixon, Evan Roos (both DHL Stormers), Ruan Venter (Emirates Lions), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions).
Flyhalves: Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Manie Libbok (both DHL Stormers).
Centres: Lukhanyo Am, Andre Esterhuizen (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles).
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls), Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Quan Horn (Emirates Lions).