Springbok squad will not be trimmed as All Blacks series looms

REACTION: Rassie Erasmus believes South Africa’s blockbuster four-Test tour of New Zealand could provide a tougher challenge than World Cup pool games as the Springboks prepare for the physical demands of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.

The Springboks completed their final Test before the tour with a hard-fought 17-10 victory over Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday, with Eben Etzebeth, Lood de Jager and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu among those given valuable game time as they continue their return from injury.

It was hardly a vintage Springbok performance, but Erasmus was encouraged by the character his side showed to grind out a result against a physical Pumas team in a hostile environment.

“We’re not happy with the performance itself, but we’re happy with the character the players showed,” Erasmus said.

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For Erasmus, that experience could prove invaluable against the All Blacks, particularly with four Tests to be played over seven weeks.

“The lesson is that knockout-level rugby is always close. World Cup pool games can sometimes be a bit more comfortable, but this is exactly the kind of match you learn from,” he said.

“For us to stay calm, even while not playing well, I thought we handled the pressure very well. It’s an opportunity to play important matches with close results, like in the World Cup.”

No trimming the Springbok squad

With the All Blacks having named a 44-man touring squad, Erasmus confirmed South Africa will retain their entire group rather than reducing their numbers.

“We’re not going to trim the squad. The squad is 40; 15 guys are in South Africa and 26 here, that’s 41, so we’re not going to trim the squad,” he said.

“There are 44 players in New Zealand’s squad, so we’re not going to trim the squad.”

That means Erasmus will have two weeks to assess the fitness of his returning players before selecting the team for the opening Test in Johannesburg on August 22.

“The team selection on making the right team for the first Test match is only two weeks away,” he said.

“We’ve obviously got 15 guys at home that are already preparing for that, not saying they’re going to start definitely or be in the match-23. We just had to get a lot of players on this side through some match fitness.

“So in the next two weeks we’ll have to look at our injuries and then we’ll pick the team that we hope can try and beat New Zealand in the first Test match.”

Hanekom makes another statement

One player who strengthened his case in Buenos Aires was No.8 Cameron Hanekom, who delivered an outstanding performance.

Erasmus was particularly pleased with the way the Bulls loose forward is settling into the Springbok environment.

“Jasper [Wiese] is still the clear number one at No.8,” Erasmus told Rugby365 when asked about Hanekom’s outing against Los Pumas.

“Cameron played really well against an Argentinian team that knocked us over a few times, so it’s lekker to have another option there.

“We’ll try and pick the 23 that we can think will beat New Zealand hopefully. But definitely, Cameron is starting to settle in nicely in the team. He’s starting to be calm in understanding what we’re trying to do, so I think he’s getting better every game.”

All Blacks arrive after Stormers scare

New Zealand have already begun their South African tour, with their first match against the Stormers in Cape Town providing an early warning of the intensity that awaits them.

The All Blacks eventually secured victory but were given a serious scare by a depleted Stormers side, who were level at 14-14 with 15 minutes remaining before the tourists pulled away late.

The All Blacks’ eight-match tour includes four matches against South Africa’s United Rugby Championship franchises before the four-Test series against the Springboks.

For Erasmus, however, the focus is now firmly on getting his squad ready for the opening Test.

The Springboks will return to South Africa in two groups on Sunday and Monday before joining the rest of the squad in Johannesburg.

“Over the next two weeks, we’ll have to look at our injuries, and then we’ll pick the team that we hope can try and win against New Zealand in the first Test match,” Erasmus said.

The opening Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry will take place in Johannesburg on August 22, with three more clashes to follow in what promises to be one of the most demanding series of the Springboks’ season.