VIDEO: The young gun who has all the 'credentials' to become a Bok
SPOTLIGHT: Now that the Rugby Championship is done and dusted, the Springboks will turn their attention to the end-of-year tour and Rassie Erasmus will have a lot to ponder when it comes to selections.
He has already used a ton of players across the nine Tests so far in 2024 and it will be interesting to see if there is room for a few more fresh faces.
During a United Rugby Championship Media Round Table this week, former Springbok wing Breyton Paulse was asked who he thinks has the potential to break into the Bok squad in the near future and Stormers wing Suleiman Hartzenberg was a name that came to mind.
The story continues below…
“In terms of young players or players knocking on the door for the end-of-year tour, I really do like Suleiman Hartzenberg, and I do feel has got the potential.
“I can put my pen on paper to say that he will be a Springbok one day.
“He has got all the credentials. He has got the identity and personality to become a Springbok.”
He added: “I do feel he is an incredible wing, but I would also like to see him more at outside centre. He has shown immense talent.”
The story continues below…
However, Paulse believes it might be tricky for new players to knock down the Bok door in November due to the depth that Erasmus has already built this year.
“We know that the competition is fierce within the Springbok team, and I’ve seen it in Mbombela at the weekend.
“This year alone, Rassie and his [coaching] team have picked 49 players for the Springbok squad. That is unheard of.
“Back in the day you were picked and if you are in form, you don’t get dropped, so coaches were really conservative back then. But then along came Rassie Erasmus and he changed the whole narrative of the Springbok squad.”
Paulse added: “With the squad that they have, there will be enough players to take on the end-of- year tour.
“For me, it’s looking good for the Boks, but a lot of those fringe players would want an opportunity and I am sure Rassie will want to rest one of his stalwarts.
“It’s wonderful to have a squad with this kind of depth and I think it’s healthy competition within the Springbok squad at the moment.”
@rugby365com
