Cape Town - In the past, picking a Springbok World Cup squad was much easier than it will be in 2023.
The first-choice side was usually entrenched, with one or two selection debates, and you could mix and match the bench.
The extra seven or so players who didn’t feature in the main games would be on the bench for the ‘easier’ pool games, while not really pushing for a starting berth.
But Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber will have to make some tough calls before they announce the final 33-man World Cup squad on August 8. They began that process on Saturday night – after the URC final between the Stormers and Munster – by naming a 36-strong group for this week’s training camp in Durban.
There is still a long path to walk, though, to reach August 8. “We are not sure ourselves yet. Out and out, we want to take the best 33 players, who are on form the best rugby players, healthy, can adjust to any game-plan. We have already spoken about that, and then we come up with 38 players, and then we start to eliminate guys,” director of rugby Erasmus said this week.
“Almost every time we meet, we pick a 33-man squad – at our camps, or the end of the week – and many times, that will determine how your split (between backs and forwards) must go.
“For example, this guy is such a good rugby player, and he is a back. And the safety of another forward… that (back) player’s ability almost overrides who you will choose that split. Now we have 33; the previous World Cup was 31 – almost too many, as you can’t coach 15 against 15, with one guy on the side.
“Now we are 33, and it’s the same time-zones. So, I think we will take the best 33 rugby players who you know will give each other the toughest times during practices.
“I can give you an example: a guy like Grant Williams. You almost want to take him with, and then if you then have fewer forwards… I’m not saying we are definitely doing that – it’s just how our minds are working.
“Then you almost think you must maybe make place for this guy (Williams) – the way he plays rugby and how well he’s playing, what he does… Should you rather have the safety of an extra forward? No – we are already two more players than in 2019, and you don’t fly through time-zones. A guy gets onto a plane tonight, and he will be there tomorrow morning.
“So, we will take the best 33 players, and it might sway us to having a split with perhaps an extra back, instead of that forward that we might pick for safety, but who may not be as good a rugby player.”
Erasmus feels that the Boks have introduced a number of new players over the last few years, and that the door isn’t closed on anyone to make it to France 2023.
“Ox Nche wasn’t at the previous World Cup, Joseph Dweba, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Jaden, Grant, Manie, Canan, Kurt-Lee… So, people like to say we are just going on with the same squad, but I’ve just mentioned nine guys who are probably really close to making the World Cup squad,” the former loose forward said.
“So, yes, you can get a guy like Herschel who comes and kicks the door down, and says ‘I’m going to win a World Cup for you’.
“But I think how a World Cup year should be if you get someone who totally hasn’t been in the mix. Form definitely, and big-match temperament. Like Jaden did. People sometimes think when we picked Jaden ahead of Faf, it was always because he was better than Faf. But a lot of that was about starting a Test match.
“Herschel was in and out, and he will be the first to agree that his form took a little bit of a dip somewhere. But he upped it, and is playing brilliantly now currently.
“Grant is a guy who played wing before. Is he a good guy to take to the World Cup? Maybe, because he can play nine and wing.
“Then we have Cobus (Reinach), Sanele (Nohamba) is playing really well. It’s tough decisions, and we will again, while trying to win, sift a little bit through the Rugby Championships and those three other games.
“A guy like Deon Fourie comes in and can play hooker and loose forward. Then you think of the role Schalk Brits played, and then Deon Fourie makes a hell of a lot of sense to you.
“Then you think if Siya is 100 percent fit… Deon can actually start a match. But then a guy like Kwagga was the player of the season in Japan. Jasper was the player of the season in the Premiership. Evan (Roos) is playing really hard.”
The first Test of the year is against the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship on July 8 at Loftus Versfeld, with further games against the All Blacks in Auckland on July 15 and Argentina at Ellis Park on July 29.
Then it’s the three warm-up games against Argentina (August 5, Buenos Aires), Wales (August 19, Cardiff) and New Zealand (August 25, London).
Those games are where someone like veteran Duane Vermeulen could get his last chance to stake a claim for the World Cup, as he has some serious competition from Jasper Wiese, Evan Roos and others at No 8 or as a loose-forward reserve.
Being able to play in multiple positions is sure to be a factor as well amongst the backs, and it is understood that the Bok management may be placing a greater emphasis on attacking players who can make a difference in broken play, as there are so many more breakdowns and tackle situations than scrums or lineouts.
Apart from Williams, the likes of Damian Willemse, Manie Libbok, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe can operate virtually anywhere in the backline, and that could be a serious weapon for the Boks in the second half at the World Cup.
Springbok Training Squad
Props: Thomas du Toit, Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe, Ox Nche.
Hookers: Joseph Dweba, Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi.
Locks: Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Marvin Orie, RG Snyman.
Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Evan Roos, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Duane Vermeulen.
Utility forwards: Deon Fourie, Franco Mostert.
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk, Jaden Hendrikse, Herschel Jantjies, Cobus Reinach, Grant Williams.
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse.
Centres: Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel.
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie.
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