VIDEO: The added beauty of the bomb squad
Former Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff recently announced his retirement following a neck injury he sustained during a Currie Cup clash for Western Province against Griquas in 2024.
The double world champion underwent neck surgery and earlier this year confirmed that he has hung up his playing boots, with his final Test for the Boks being the 12-11 World Cup triumph against arch rivals New Zealand in Paris in October 2023.
The bomb squad, the concept of having six or seven forwards on the bench, materialised during the 2019 World Cup – famously won by the Boks.
Kitshoff was an integral part of that victory and the birth of the Bomb Squad – a forward-heavy six-two split.
It evolved when Rassie Erasmus opted to field a seven-one forward-heavy bench against New Zealand in a World Cup warm-up match at Twickenham in 2023.
The Boks handed the Kiwis their biggest defeat in their history, 35-7.
Kitshoff, speaking on the latest edition of the Boks Office podcast, believes that there are many benefits of the Bomb Squad concept for players and teams – despite some criticism by various sports pundits around the world.
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“If you think about [the period] between 2019 and 2023, how many games did the two groups [starters] and bomb squad play together?” Kitshoff said.
“It created so much depth and consistency in South African rugby because players aren’t being pushed for up to 75 minutes [per match].
“They know they will play 50 minutes before being replaced and get some extra rest, whilst the opposition carries on playing.
“It creates a squad of forwards that can interchange at any moment of the game.
“It [also] creates a lot of back-to-back caps because players aren’t overworked. They don’t get fatigued and are not selected the following weekend because of overplaying.
“I feel in terms of rugby wellness, the bomb squad created longevity in players’ careers.”
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