VIDEO: Rassie addresses 'rotten' Roos rumours
The other players were simply better!
That is the brutal, honest truth. Nothing more sinister than that.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, addressing a virtual media briefing, dismissed the notion that external, off-field factors contributed to the absence of Even Roos from the initial training squad.
Roos was recalled at the weekend, after Erasmus’ preferred No.8 Cameron Hanekom suffered a hamstring injury during the Bulls’ United Rugby Championship semifinal win over the Sharks at Loftus Versfeld.
The absence of the 25-year-old, capped seven times, caused an hysterical outcry – especially in the Western Cape.
One of the sinister explanations by uninformed pundits – quoting unnamed ‘sources’ – suggested there was a fall-out between Erasmus and Roos’ father.
“I saw the things people wrote,” Erasmus said, adding: “If anyone talks to Evan, he will tell you himself that there’s not a personal issue [between us].”
Erasmus said opinions on players’ form differs and Roos just dropped down the pecking order.
Injuries to Hanekom and Juarno Augustus (injured at training with his English club Northampton Saints) opened the door for Roos’ recall.
* To read about the Augusts and other injuries, CLICK HERE!
“In our opinion, Evan wasn’t playing as well as the other guys and that’s normally the reason why we don’t select guys.
“That’s not to say the guy is not Springbok level or can’t play Springbok rugby.
“It’s just that Kwagga [Smith], Cameron, Juarno [Augustus] and Siya [Kolisi] can all play eight.
“We also have five guys who can play No.7 [blindside] flank.
“Sometimes a guy is good enough, but there are just two or three other guys who we think fit [better] into what we are trying to do as a Springbok team. How we attack, how we defend, what we do in line-outs, and so on.
(WATCH as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus clears up the fallacies that emerged after Stormers star Even Roos failed to make the initial national training squad…..)
“Maybe he just doesn’t fit that plan, or the other guys are a bit more settled.”
South Africa start their international campaign in a non-cap match against the Barbarians in Cape Town on June 28.
That is followed by encounters with Italy and Georgia, before the Rugby Champions and year-end tour.
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