The luxury of having depth has allowed Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus to once again make several changes to his side for the first of two Tests against Argentina on Saturday.
It’s been brilliant for the world champions that Erasmus has been able to throw about just any Bok player in the mix on a specific Saturday and they still achieve the desired results.
Things won’t be any different this weekend when a much-changed South Africa – there are 10 changes to the starting team – will look to seal the Rugby Championship with a victory in Santiago del Estero (11pm start, SA time) against an in-form home side.
Springbok team: Lukhanyo Am, Makazole Mapimpi to start in Argentina@CapeTimesSA @TheCapeArgus @TheStar_news @TheMercurySA @DailyNewsSA @pretorianews #Springboks #ARGvRSA #RugbyChampionshiphttps://t.co/iOVCaacWBW
— Ashfak Mohamed (@ashfakmohamed) September 17, 2024
Four points will be enough for the Boks to become Championship titleholders for the first time since 2019. It will also add to their trophy cabinet that already has the World Cup, Freedom Cup, and Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate trophy.
The team only boasts 294 caps in the backline and 195 among the forwards. On the bench, they have 277 caps and it’s a relatively inexperienced side in key positions, especially looking at the lock combination of the returning captain Salmaan Moerat and line-out caller Ruan Nortjé, loose forward Ben-Jason Dixon, and fullback Aphelele Fassi.
The replacement front-rowers, hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels and prop Gerhard Steenekamp, and loose forward Elrigh Louw also offer little experience off the bench.
But they will be surrounded by some very experienced guys and that has been a key feature of sides selected by Erasmus and his assistants since the start of the 2024 international rugby season. Apart from the one-off Test against Portugal in Bloemfontein, where a handful of debutants featured, the Bok coaching staff haven’t thrown the youngsters into the deep end without having experienced guides around them to help them swim.
It will be the same on Saturday where someone like Fassi is surrounded by World Cup winners like centre pairing Lukhanyo Am and Jesse Kriel, and flyhalf Handré Pollard. The experience of No 8 Jasper Wiese, loose forward Marco van Staden and hooker Malcolm Marx will be crucial in the battle with the pack of Los Pumas.
“It would be amazing to wrap up the Rugby Championship title this weekend ...”
“It would be amazing to wrap up the Rugby Championship title this weekend, but it won’t be easy, and we have a bigger picture in mind as well, which is to build squad depth with an eye on the 2027 World Cup,” Erasmus said with his team announcement.
“The only way we can do that is to expose the younger players to tough opposition under difficult circumstances, and so far all of them have risen to that challenge. We’re excited about this squad and to see what the younger players can do in pretty tough playing conditions with such a passionate support base in Argentina and also at a new stadium.”
The #Springboks have named their team for Saturday's big clash with @lospumas in Argentina - more here: https://t.co/It2NaNZY3A 🇿🇦#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/01vrBskxEi
— Springboks (@Springboks) September 17, 2024
It will be a momentous occasion if Eben Etzebeth, standing on 126 Test caps, makes his appearance off the bench as part of the Bomb Squad. He will then equal the Test record of former lock Victor Matfield. The inclusion of flyhalf Manie Libbok on the bench will also generate excitement.
He hasn’t really had the opportunity to strut his attacking stuff under the evolved game plan of attack coach Tony Brown, and knowing how Los Pumas will play, Libbok could be an influential figure in the second half of the contest when things open up.
But once again, the big contest will be up front, and how the Boks fare without utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit, regular captain Siya Kolisi, and front-rowers Bongi Mbonambi and Frans Malherbe, especially on the physical side, will provide some much-needed answers to the Boks.
Springboks: 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Lukhanyo Am, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Cobus Reinach, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Ben-Jason Dixon, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Thomas du Toit, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Ox Nche. Replacements: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Gerhard Steenekamp, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Elrigh Louw, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Manie Libbok.