By Lucky Vince Pienaar
If the match against Ireland, as it is said, is the most important match since the World Cup, then Rassie Erasmus must believe that this is the best we’ve got.
And if that’s the case, then Rassie has answered the most hotly debated question of all. What to do about the flyhalf position?
The answer is Handré Pollard gets the number 10 jersey, Siya Masuku has been left out (no surprise there), but also not on the team sheet are the names of Manie Libbok and Jordan Hendrikse. Instead, the name of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu appears next to the number 23 spot.
This seems to indicate that Rassie has at last decided that Manie Libbok, the talented rugby player that he is, is simply not the complete package and probably never will be.
While Siya Masuku may be the real deal it appears that, through no fault of his own, he has missed the boat – and it is probably his last boat. There are just too many candidates for the job to give Jordan Hendrikse another chance after his uninspiring performance against Wales.
Which leaves Sacha Mngomezulu. Sacha has delivered the goods every time. It is too early to say for sure, but he might just be the answer to the Springbok flyhalf question up to the 2027 World Cup and beyond. But, okay, let’s give it a year or two.
A player who could feel hard done by after a spectacular performance against Wales is Aphelele Fassi. But there can be no argument about the Springbok back three. Kurt-Lee Arendse, Willie le Roux and Cheslin Kolbe just simply pick themselves, and Sacha can cover all positions.
With the captaincy going back to Siya Kolisi, we should see Pieter-Steph du Toit back to his best. Du Toit, and Eben Etzebeth, were not at their best against Wales, and they will want to deliver this weekend.
The whole nation is holding its breath to see what happens to Malcolm Marx when he comes off the bench. Never before has the word “test” had more meaning for Marx, one of the greatest hookers of all time.
And one final question. Does Rassie want to win this one? This is probably the best team that Rassie could have selected. Yes. Oh, yes. Rassie very much wants to win this one!
Forwards: 1. Ox Nche – 2. Bongi Mbonambi – 3. Frans Malherbe – 4. Eben Etzebeth – 5. Franco Mostert – 6. Siya Kolisi (c) – 7. Pieter-Steph du Toit – 8. Kwagga Smith
Backs: 9. Faf de Klerk – 10. Handre Pollard – 11. Kurt-Lee Arendse – 12. Damian de Allende – 13. Jesse Kriel – 14. Cheslin Kolbe – 15. Willie le Roux
Bench: 16. Malcolm Marx – 17. Gerhard Steenekamp – 18. Vincent Koch – 19. Salmaan Moerat – 20. RG Snyman – 21. Marco van Staden – 22. Grant Williams – 23. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Pictured above: Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Source: X
