'His tyres were getting pap' - Rassie on Vusi Moyo's historic Bok debut
REACTION: Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus sheds light on Vusi Moyo’s Test debut against Wales on Saturday.
Moyo became the youngest flyhalf in Springbok history at 20 years and 27 days when he ran out at Kings Park Stadium against Wales.
The flyhalf was one of four debutants in the starting line-up during the Springboks’ 48-0 win over Wales on Saturday.
It was a nervy start for the debutant, but he gradually found his feet. He kicked three conversions, but the highlight was certainly his cross-kick, which set up a try for Jesse Kriel just before the break, handing the Springboks a 19-0 lead.
“I think he performed nervously, for me. I don’t know if other people would see that,” Erasmus told reporters at Kings Park.
“However, that’s normal. He is the youngest ever to play for the Springboks. I think he’s something like six months younger than Patrick Lambie was when he made his debut, so to make a debut against a Tier One nation is tough for a 19- or 20-year-old guy.”
Despite his early nerves, Erasmus said he was more than satisfied with the youngster’s performance.
“He definitely played well,” he said.
“You can see there were nerves. He’s a really accurate kicker, he kicks off really well, but then you get into a Test match like this with a lot of people, even at your own time, the ball is wet, and suddenly you don’t kick it into the corners, you don’t kick it on the spot with the kick-offs, and then after the first or second Test match you’re tired because the pressure gets to you. I think he handled it extremely well.”
Moyo’s afternoon came to an end in the 47th minute when he was replaced by Manie Libbok.
“You could see in the second half his tyres were getting pap, and that is when we made the swap.”
Looking ahead, Erasmus said the Springboks would soon have even more depth at flyhalf, with Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu expected to be fit for the Argentina tour. Handré Pollard, who missed the Wales clash after suffering a hamstring injury, is also recovering well.
The Bok coach also highlighted Junior Springbok playmaker Yaqeen Ahmed as another exciting prospect in the national pipeline.
“He is a wonderful player. We would love to have him in the mix as well, but we already felt so bad keeping Vusi here, and they [the Junior Springboks] couldn’t play him in the final.”
