The scary list of players the Boks have in 'reserve'
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus admitted that ‘rolling the dice’ against Australia in Perth was a ‘miscalculation’.
“That didn’t go too well,” Erasmus said of the loss, the Boks’ second in 2026.
That is why he kept the rookies on ice when he named a seasoned team for the tour opener against Italy in Turin on Saturday.
Not just the starting XV, but also the bench, look menacing.
A legitimate question was asked from the media gallery: ‘Can you win the World Cup with this team?‘
As always, Erasmus was brutally honest.
“I’m not 100 percent sure,” he replied.
He had good reason to be hesitant.
Erasmus can select almost an entire team from the players on his ‘unavailable’ list, mostly through injury.
Cheslin Kolbe (fractured jaw), Eben Etzebeth (lower leg/knee), André Esterhuizen (ankle), Handré Pollard (hamstring), Deon Fourie (hamstring), Kwagga Smith (knee surgery), RG Snyman (knee surgery), André-Hugo Venter (elbow), Embrose Papier (ankle surgery), Ben-Jason Dixon (concussion) and Canan Moodie (concussion) are all in the team’s ‘sick bay’.
The question is: ‘How many of them will be starters and who do they replace in the current team?‘
Kolbe is a definite starter, on the right wing ahead of Kurt-Lee Arendse.
While I would make no other backline changes, Esterhuizen, Pollard and Moodie could feature off the bench.
Hooker ahead of Moodie in the starting XV is based on recent form, just as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu ahead of Pollard is at flyhalf.
Pollard is the insurance if things go pear-shaped, and Manie Libbok (playing off the bench this week) is not a bad call either.
Up front it looks a lot different.
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Etzebeth is a definite starter, even with his fitness concerns and ageing body. With Lood de Jager on the bench this week, Salmaan Moerat will drop down into the broader squad.
Fourie is a squad option because of his versatility, but his age counts against him.
Smith and Snyman are members of the original bomb squad and, when fit, definitely on the bench.
Venter is down the pecking order in the No.2 race, while Dixon is a bench option because of his versatility (loose forward and lock). He is certainly a valuable squad member.
It is scary to think how much stronger Saturday’s team in Turin could become, although I would still back them if there is a World Cup Final tomorrow.
That is why the Boks’ depth is the envy of the world.
And, to those who want to suggest this is an ageing Bok team, look at what is waiting in the wings.
Yaqeen Ahmed, Sebastian de Klerk, Luan Giliomee, Markus Muller, Riley Norton, and Emmanuel Tshituka have all earned their first national call-ups for the Boks’ year-end trip.
Will any of them get game time?
Only if there are injuries.
As it is, Ahmed is currently under an injury cloud.
They will get some valuable experience rubbing shoulders with all the double World Cup winners in the 37-man squad on tour.
@JanDKrugby
