VIDEO: Bok coach on the make-up of his team for Wales Test
SPOTLIGHT: Rassie Erasmus has shed some light on his selection plan for the Springboks’ season opener against Wales at Twickenham.
That match takes place on June 22, two weeks before the highly anticipated series opener against Ireland in Pretoria on July 6.
A few young guns are expected to make their debut against the Welsh and Erasmus confirmed as much during a press conference in Cape Town on Tuesday.
The story continues below…
“We can’t really say the Wales Test is preparation for the Irish Test,” said Erasmus.
“The Wales Test is outside the Test-match window, so the team will probably be selected out of the 43 men that were here [in Cape Town] for the alignment camp, plus a few Japan-based players.
“There will be no English or French-based players and we are not sure where we are currently with Ireland with Kitshoff at Ulster and RG [Snyman] at Munster.
“Also, there is a URC game [Final] that specific weekend, so there might be other guys playing in that match [against Wales].”
Erasmus said the team will look a lot different when they run out for the first Test against Ireland.
“It [Wales Test] is almost a standalone Test match because some of the guys that will play there will not play in the Ireland Test match.
“I won’t put it out as a warm-up match for the Ireland Test match. I will put it out as a big Test match against Wales who are trying to get a spark and they definitely have some young guns in there that are close to producing some magic.
“It will be tough Test matches against all those countries.”
@rugby365com
