Back row army will keep northern opponents guessing

SPOTLIGHT: Rassie Erasmus’ management of the uncapped Cameron Hanekom and a large group of loose forwards will be a big talking point over the course of the tour to the United Kingdom, writes Jon Cardinelli.

Can the media and the fans predict with any certainty who will line up against Scotland, England and Wales this November?

At this point, Erasmus himself may have his doubts.

The Bok coach announced a 34-man squad for the three-Test tour to the United Kingdom on Tuesday, October 22.

Two days later, utility forward Jan-Hendrik Wessels withdrew, and hooker Johan Grobbelaar and tighthead prop Wilco Louw were enlisted for the mission to the Northern Hemisphere.

Just as the selection picture was starting to take shape, utility back Damian Willemse and prop Frans Malherbe broke down in the Stormers’ loss to the Glasgow Warriors this past Saturday.

On Sunday, Erasmus asked the uncapped No 8 Cameron Hanekom to join the Boks for the training camp in Jersey.

In the space of a week, three players have withdrawn from the squad, and the balance between the forwards and backs has shifted.

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The challenge of playing three Tests in the Northern Hemisphere in as many weeks is likely to take its toll. Perhaps this is why Hanekom, rather than another backline player, has replaced Willemse in the squad.

So how will Hanekom’s call-up change things? When will he make his Test debut?

Will he slot in at the back of the scrum, or operate in a different role?

Further injury setbacks over the next few weeks could eliminate a few of Erasmus’ back row options.

But if all seven loose forwards (Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden and Hanekom) as well as the versatile Franco Mostert and Ruan Nortje remain fit, the Bok coach could face an especially challenging juggling act.

Given the logistical challenges of this tour – the Boks will play Scotland and England in the space of six days – Erasmus may well opt to split his squad and manage his resources over the first two matches.

The big question is who will get the ball rolling against Scotland – the Boks haven’t lost at Murrayfield since 2010, and will be desperate to start this tour on a winning note – and who will be backed to slay England at Twickenham.

Erasmus should field his strongest available side – or at least his most experienced – against the highest-ranking team in the UK. England are currently fifth in the World Rugby rankings, Scotland seventh, and Wales 11th.

The most experienced back row combination of Kolisi, Du Toit, and Wiese should start against England. It will be interesting to see whether Erasmus favours a six-two split on the bench for this fixture, given that he and Jacques Nienaber preferred a five-three dynamic against England in the previous three Tests.

You’d expect Smith to be among the substitutes at Twickenham. If the Boks include an extra forward on the bench, Louw – one of the most consistent performers for the Boks during the Rugby Championship – should crack the nod.

How Erasmus manages those four or five loose forwards over the first two weeks of the tour will be key.

He may give some of them a run against Scotland, and allow them to build some momentum for the more taxing clash against England.

On the other hand, he won’t want to lose those players to injuries before such a big match, and may be wary of deploying them six days before a battle royale at Twickenham.

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#⃣NEWS UPDATE: The @Springboks‘ injury situation appears to be approaching crisis proportions 🚑#Rugby 🏉#Rugby365 🌐#RugbyUnion 🌍
🔗https://t.co/XVCvU6MuNy pic.twitter.com/oDTohibrH0

— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) October 27, 2024

Picking five loose forwards for the tour-opener in Edinburgh – three to start, and two to feature on a six-two bench – may be the wisest course of action, in terms of addressing Scotland’s breakdown threat and managing the squad resources with the full tour schedule in mind.

It would be a big call to start Hanekom at No.8, but there’s a strong argument to be made for picking the youngster alongside his Bulls teammates, Van Staden (openside) and Louw (blindside).

Including two of Du Toit, Kolisi and Wiese among the reserves will provide some insurance, and with Mostert back in the starting side (as a lock), there will be a further blindside flank option later in the contest.

Alternatively, Erasmus could start Kolisi, Du Toit and Wiese, and deploy the likes of Van Staden and Hanekom after 50 minutes.

This course of action may compromise those players ahead of the Test against England, however. The lack of experienced players on the park in the latter stages could also potentially cost the Boks an important result against Scotland.

It will be interesting to see whether Erasmus uses Hanekom as a specialist No.8. Earlier this year, after Hanekom was invited to the national alignment camps, SA Rugby listed the 22-year-old as a flank.

Over the years, Erasmus has opted to move players into different positions once they have reported for international duty.

Willemse may be a regular feature at No.12 for the Stormers, but is primarily a fullback at the Boks. Earlier this year, Sharks No.8 Phepsi Buthelezi made his Test debut against Portugal at openside flank.

The final tour fixture against Wales – who haven’t won a Test since the 2023 World Cup and are no longer ranked among the world’s top 10 teams – should present Erasmus with a few more chances to experiment.

But if he’s looking for long-term answers regarding the character and ability of his fringe players, he would do well to deploy them in the toughest games on this tour.

Tackle upon tackle upon tackle as the #Springboks successfully defended their #RugbyWorldCup title in France, a year ago today 💥💥💥#forevergreenforevergold pic.twitter.com/mgByM6RwB0

— Springboks (@Springboks) October 28, 2024