State of the nation: Rassie ponders 'complicated question'

OPINION: Rassie Erasmus will take a strong Springbok squad to the Northern Hemisphere next month, while leaving another group of potential world-beaters at home.

Such is the state of South Africa’s phenomenal depth.

There was plenty for South African fans to celebrate this past Saturday, as all four franchises swept to bonus-point victories in the United Rugby Championship.

It’s a terrific outcome for the local teams and Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, who has more options than ever as the three-Test tour to the United Kingdom looms.

Fullback Quan Horn, centre Henco van Wyk and scrumhalf Morné van der Berg have been sublime for a rampant Lions side in recent weeks, while utility backs Ethan Hooker and Jordan Hendrikse have lent the Sharks an edge in the absence of more established Boks.

Bulls tighthead prop Wilco Louw has strengthened his case for an international recall, while No.8 Cameron Hanekom has continued to terrorise defences with his powerful carries and deft offloads.

Prop Neethling Fouché and wing Suleiman Hartzenberg – two more uncapped players who trained with the Boks earlier this year – have made an impact on the Stormers’ tour to Europe.

Should all of the above join the assault on Scotland, England and Wales this November?

It’s a complicated question, given the quantity and quality of players at Erasmus’s disposal.

The Boks had used 49 players throughout 10 Tests in 2024.

That number excludes uncapped players who have trained with the team this year, as well as the clutch of World Cup-winning veterans sidelined with long-term injuries.

All told, the number of players who have been involved with the Boks over the past 12 months is closer to 70.

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Recent injury updates suggest that Lood de Jager, Deon Fourie, Evan Roos, Steven Kitshoff and possibly Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu could miss the tour to the United Kingdom.

The good news is that Damian Willemse, Faf de Klerk, Franco Mostert, RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn have been cleared of their respective ailments, and should be available for the three Tests.

De Klerk, Mostert and Snyman haven’t played for the Boks since the July internationals, while Willemse and Kleyn haven’t featured since the 2023 World Cup.

As many as 60 players – who have either played or trained with the Boks – may be in the frame later this month.

Trimming that group to 35 or so – while balancing the priorities of results and development – will be no easy task.

Aphelele Fassi finished the Rugby Championship as the Boks’ first-choice No.15, and Erasmus will be keen to see how the much-improved player fares in the Northern Hemisphere.

At the same time, Erasmus will need to accommodate Willemse, who is back in action after missing the first 10 Tests of the season due to injury.

While Willie le Roux is nearing the end of his Test career, Willemse – another double World Cup winner – is only 26, and will be a crucial piece of the puzzle in the lead-up to the next global tournament.

The Boks boast the likes of Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Makazole Mapimpi out wide.

Edwill van der Merwe won the Man of the Match award in the season opener against Wales, before sustaining a serious injury. The wing recently made a successful return to play with the Lions.

Jesse Kriel has kept Lukhanyo Am out of the starting side for most of the season, and the latter will need more game time in that outside centre position next month.

Then there’s Canan Moodie, who could provide options at No.13 and wing. Moodie has played one Test this season.

Add Damian de Allende and Andre Esterhuizen to the mix, and it’s a midfield group most Test sides would kill for.

Like Am and Moodie, Esterhuizen desperately needs game time, after featuring in two Tests this year.

Handré Pollard has been listed as an inside centre option, but may crack the nod at No.10 for at least one of the three Tests.

That said, Manie Libbok deserves more opportunities in the saddle, having started on just two occasions in 2024.

Both should be utilised this November, but what would this mean for Jordan Hendrikse and Siya Masuku?

If Feinberg-Mngomezulu recovers ahead of the tour, he will provide Erasmus with yet another starting option. In that event, Hendrikse and Masuku might be surplus to squad requirements.

De Klerk has been cleared of the injury that kept him out of the Rugby Championship.

Will the former Sales Sharks scrumhalf be rushed back into the side, given his knowledge of Northern Hemisphere conditions, or will the coaches use these Test matches to develop younger No.9s such as Grant Williams and Jaden Hendrikse?

Cobus Reinach (34) had a fantastic Rugby Championship campaign, but is the oldest player in the scrumhalf group.

Erasmus surely can’t take all five scrumhalves on tour.

Calls for Hanekom’s elevation will increase if the No.8 continues to deliver gamebreaking performances for the Bulls at URC level.

But in a situation where there are so many outstanding options across the back row, it then becomes a question of who to leave out.

Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese showed why they are the Boks’ preferred back row combination in the recent Rugby Championship.

Kwagga Smith has become the most valuable replacement in the game, while Marco van Staden has developed into yet another world-class option.

More recently, we’ve seen Elrigh Louw stepping up at No.8 and blindside flank, while Ben-Jason-Dixon has offered something different as a flank-cum lock.

It’s easy to say that both should go to the UK this November, but far harder to say who should remain behind.

Mostert is back from a leg injury, while Snyman and Kleyn recently returned from their respective layoffs.

These World Cup winners, as well as Eben Etzebeth, could have key roles to play in the more attritional battles up north.

But again, Erasmus will need to balance the need for experience with the quest to expose younger locks like Salmaan Moerat and Ruan Nortje to challenging conditions.

Gerhard Steenekamp has been one of the Boks’ best-performing rookies in 2024 and was named Man of the Match in the Bulls’ recent win against Ulster.

Will the Bok coaches keep Steenekamp on the bench this November, and back Ox Nche to start all three matches?

Will one of the swing props – Thomas du Toit and Trevor Nyakane – pack down at No.1, or will Ntuthuko Mchunu and Jan-Hendrik Wessels receive more opportunities?

Erasmus views Wessels as a utility player that can contribute at both hooker and loosehead.

What better place to test a tight-forward – possibly in both positions – than in the Northern Hemisphere?

There are further hooker options in Johan Grobbelaar and Andre-Hugo Venter. Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx remain the frontline options, but the former isn’t getting any younger.

All deserve an opportunity, but not all can be included in a touring party.

Erasmus may have a plan in mind for specific players, but a lot could change over the next few weeks with regards to form and injury status.

Going by the quality of what was produced this past weekend, the players are desperate to make the cut.

The battle for squad places will only intensify over the next few weeks, and Erasmus’ job won’t get any easier.

@rugby365com