By Lucky Vince Pienaar
On many levels, Rassie Erasmus’s announcement of the Springbok team is a testament to excellent training, squad depth and, crucially, team management.
While the Springboks are not facing the strongest sides they have ever played, the squad indicates how seriously Erasmus is taking the tour.
The Boks face Scotland on 10 November, England on 16 November, and Wales on 23 November. Their toughest match should be against England, but the Boks will have to deal with the elements. Expect rain, wind and cold, and often all three at the same time.
Four players, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Salmaan Moerat, Steven Kitshoff and Lood de Jager, are unavailable because of injury. Still, the selected squad is exactly what Erasmus would have wanted.
There are no experiments or surprise selections. This could very well be a squad that would take on the All Blacks in a three-match test series or (dare one say it?) a World Cup squad.
Erasmus has once again confirmed his loyalty to Manie Libbok, but he is also very likely to give him some cover by playing him with Handré Pollard in the same team. It is also not certain that Libbok will play at all.
Although Damian Willemse is officially on the list as an “outside back”, he was red-hot last weekend against Munster, and it is not difficult to see him as flyhalf on the bench or even in a run-on side.
Willie le Roux, not surprisingly, is in the squad as he is still hunting for his 100th test cap. While it is not a good strategy to play a player just to see how long his legs or lungs can last, that milestone is definitely a consideration. Of course, Le Roux’s management of the back three is legendary and already enough reason to take him on tour.
Squad for the Outgoing Tour:
Props: Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, Frans Malherbe, Ox Nche, Gerhard Steenekamp.
Hookers: Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi.
Locks: Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Ruan Nortje, RG Snyman.
Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese.
Utility forward: Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach, Grant Williams.
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok, Handré Pollard.
Centres: Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Andre Esterhuizen, Jesse Kriel.
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Willie le Roux, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie, Damian Willemse.
Pictured above: Springboks.
Source: Springboks/X
