The Trojan Horse on Rassie's bench
It is more an ‘aha moment‘ than a real jaw-dropper.
However, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus seems to have a stupefying card up his sleeve for the opening match of the four-Test Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks.
Erasmus’ selection signals a calculated mix of tactical psychology, extreme faith in a new generation, and the classic forward-pack brutality.
After saying he delayed his team announcement ‘out of respect for the All Blacks’, Erasmus, unfazed by the aura of the All Blacks, produced an intriguing bench bolter.
With regular captain Siya Kolisi sidelined with a hamstring strain, the inspirational Pieter-Steph du Toit takes over the armband.
He is joined in the loose trio by the returning powerhouse Jasper Wiese at No.8 and the rising young star Paul de Villiers at openside flank, who gets a monumental opportunity to prove himself against Ardie Savea’s unit on the Highveld.
The biggest surprise comes at No.3.
Wilco Louw gets the starting nod at tighthead prop, with Thomas du Toit surprisingly missing out on selection entirely. On the bench, the highly rated Zachary Porthen earns the nod to provide explosive front-row cover.
Damian de Allende officially lines up for his milestone 100th Test appearance, continuing his record-setting partnership with Jesse Kriel.
Erasmus also kept Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu at flyhalf, alongside the lightning-fast Grant Williams at scrumhalf, with Manie Libbok on the bench and Handre Pollard watching from the stands.
However, amongst the replacements, you find pointers to a master plan at play.
(Continues below ….)
Andre Esterhuizen, the ultimate hybrid player, gives the bench an allusion of ‘normality’, a traditional 5-3 bench split, rather than Erasmus’ famous 6-2 or 7-1 ‘Bomb Squads’.
However, here is the postscript.
Esterhuizen is listed amongst the forwards, or more particularly as a loose forward.
Having started 21 of his 31 Tests at inside centre, he has now trained at flank and No.8, while coming off the bench to play flank in Tests.
Erasmus made it clear recently that Esterhuizen is an additional option at No.8.
With Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf and outside backs) and Manie Libbok (flyhalf and perhaps fullback) the only backs on the bench, this selection comes off as a 6-2 split.
The utility/hybrid tags can be applied to almost the entire bench.
Jan-Hendrik Wessels is a prop and hooker, Gerhard Steenekamp only features at loosehead prop, Zachary Porthen can play both sides of the scrum, Cobus Wiese is a lock and flank and has played in both positions for the Boks, while Marco van Staden can play hooker and loose forward.
Esterhuizen’s presence means Erasmus has more options on his bench than most coaches have in their starting XVs.
Maybe the 192-centimetre, 100-plus-kilogram Esterhuizen is a proverbial Trojan Horse.
Is this still part of Erasmus’ mind games?
Erasmus loves naming his team on a Monday or Tuesday, to project supreme confidence and control the media narrative.
However, by deliberately delaying the team sheet until Thursday afternoon, Erasmus shifted the pressure onto All Black counterpart Dave Rennie.
How the Bok coach employs his bench will be as fascinating as the tactical approaches by both teams.
@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com
