Is this Rassie's best 'Bomb Squad' this year?
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus chose a starting XV similar to the one that lined up against the All Blacks in Johannesburg last week for the return match in Cape Town this coming Saturday.
The only changes are that Siya Kolisi is bracketed with Paul de Villiers at flank, while Handre Pollard and Cobus Reinach start as the halfback pairing.
Ethan Hooker will replace Cheslin Kolbe on the wing, after Kolbe suffered a ‘niggle’ in the 16-33 loss at Ellis Park.
However, the bench changes are telling.
It indicates that Erasmus’ focus is on utilising experienced Test players and strengthening his team’s forward pack.
The most significant changes to the bench are veteran Thomas Du Toit (he can scrum both sides of the front row) and Deon Fourie, who turns 40 next month, replacing the two young prospects, Zachary Porthen and Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
The inclusion of Lood De Jager, who has replaced Cobus Wiese, adds additional ‘experience’, making it arguably Erasmus’ most powerful ‘Bomb Squad’ of the year.
The Springboks’ scrum performance diminished greatly last week once the younger players came off the bench.
Replacing them with seasoned veterans ensures that the Springboks’ forward pack can maintain the most amount of pressure at the set-piece for all 80 minutes.
Last week the 5-1-2 bench split, with André Esterhuizen the floater, backfired spectacularly.
An early injury on the wing forced Esterhuizen to come on in the midfield and not as a forward.
Erasmus made it clear he was planning to deploy the 32-year-old as an additional loose forward.
It carries the same risk this week, but with Morné van den Berg (scrumhalf and, if need be flyhalf) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (flyhalf, inside centre, fullback and if need be wing) the specialist backs on the bench, it will afford Erasmus a bit more leeway.
Erasmus has now given his replacements a Bomb Squad-like 6-2 look.
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Deon Fourie is covering hooker and can back up as a loose forward, where he regularly plays for the Stormers.
His selection certainly raised some eyebrows, but anyone doubting his ‘warrior spirit’ must just go look at the 2023 World Cup Final and the Stormers’ encounter in the opening match of the Greatest Rivalry tour.
Gerhard Steenekamp and Thomas du Toit will shore up the scrums and avoid the implosion of the Ellis Park loss.
Lood de Jager and Cameron Hanekom also add some versatility and serious muscle.
@JanDKrugby
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