VIDEO: Rassie reveals why he has taken the seven-one split off the table
South Africa’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus has dropped many selection ‘hints’ – which may or may not materialise – but one thing he has taken off the table is the possibility of a seven-one split.
The Springbok team, to face England in a World Cup semifinal, will only be named on Thursday morning – just more than 48 hours before Saturday’s kick-off at Stade de France in Paris.
Erasmus said that with 33 fit players in the squad, there are many temptations to change the winning combination that edged France 29-28 in last week’s thrilling quarterfinal.
He could bring fit-again veteran centre Lukhanyo Am back, start with Handre Pollard and Faf de Klerk as the halfback combination, Canan Moodie could come into the mix.
“There’s a temptation to go for a six-two split,” he said at a media briefing in the Salle Jeanne d’Arc (Joan of Arc) meeting room in the quaint commune of Presles in the Val-d’Oise district in northern France.
“There are many temptations, because every member of the 33-man squad is fit.”
He said they could be swayed to change tactics if England opts for a six-two split in favour of forwards on the bench.
“Lukhanyo is looking really great,” he said of Am, adding: “Canan [Moodie] is also in fine fettle.
“In the forward pack, a guy like Jean Kleyn can really bring a physical game.
“The two locks [Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert] have done really well.”
(WATCH as South Africa’s Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus drops some interesting selection hints ahead of the World Cup semifinal face-off with England...)
He said the ‘tall’ line-out options with Maro Itoje will also give the Boks food for thought.
“All of those things are options,” he said.
However, at least publicly, the one option he ruled out is having seven forwards on the bench.
“It’s tough [to go for the seven-one option] with Handre [Pollard] and Manie [Libbok] both fit now.
“Giving Faf [de Klerk] and Handre [Pollard] a start is always very tempting.
“Having Willie [le Roux] also in the [matchday] 23 means a guy like Damian Willemse could lose out on selection.
“He [Willemse] is the player that covers No.10, No.12 and No.15 for you.
“I think a six-two [split] is more likely, because we have two fully fit flyhalves available.
“You have to have a No.9 on the bench as well,” he concluded – adding that a seven-one split is ‘out of the question.
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