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Sunday
22:05

Rassie addresses the Marco van Staden decision

By Warren Fortune
Wednesday 23 Sep 2026
JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - JULY 04: Marco van Staden of South Africa warms up prior to the 2026 Nations Championship match between South Africa and England at Ellis Park Stadium on July 04, 2026 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Steve Haag/Nations Championship via Getty Images)

SPOTLIGHT: It seems that Rassie Erasmus had the breakdown battle against the Wallabies in mind when he selected flanker Marco van Staden at No.8 for Sunday’s clash.

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The Springboks are expecting the Wallabies to disrupt them at every chance in Perth, and the loose forward combination of Van Staden, Elrigh Louw and Paul de Villiers will be key in this area.

Van Staden’s selection at No.8 raised eyebrows on Tuesday, especially with a player like Cameron Hanekom missing out on selection due to rotation and Jasper Wiese playing off the bench.

The story continues below…

“I know you guys [media] get a bit frustrated with me, but you only scrum at No.8,” said Erasmus.

“In our coaching opinion, you must have one tall loose forward. If that tall loose forward is Elrigh Louw and the other two are shorter guys, one plays to the ground, and the other one is a good carrier.

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“If you play with Siya and Jasper, they don’t jump in the line-out. Pieter-Steph jumps in the line-out.

“So, if No.7 [Louw] gets injured, Sous [Franco Mostert] will probably go there. Andre Esterhuizen might go to No.6, and somebody might go to inside centre, and Jasper might go to 8.

“For us there is not a specific role for the eighthman apart from scrumming at No.8 and for the line-outs the taller loose forward jumps or contests – you seldom get two line-out jumpers there.”

The story continues below…

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Erasmus added: “It is a team that can contest at the breakdown. Grobbies and Jan-Hendrik are pretty good; Zach is pretty good. There’s Paul, Marco, Elrigh and Jasper if he comes on, and there’s Andre.

“I think the breakdown battle is going to be massive. I think Marco will have a massive impact there as well.

“[Wallaby star] Fraser McReight and others are certainly guys who can disrupt the defensive breakdown. They are really good at that, and hopefully Marco can help us sort that out.”

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