Following the announcement of the Springboks team to face the All Blacks at Eden Park, here are our winners and losers from Rassie Erasmus’ selections.
Erasmus has backed an experienced squad for South Africa’s first visit to the Auckland ground in 12 years, naming the fourth-most experienced Bok outfit ever.
The starting XV comprises of no less than 939 Test caps with a further 206 on the bench.
Surprisingly, Jesse Kriel will lead the men in Green and Gold as they attempt to end New Zealand’s 50-game unbeaten run at the ground.
So without further ado, we unpack the Springboks team for the Rugby Championship clash and pick out our winners and losers.
Winners
Siya Kolisi
On Monday, head coach Erasmus stated that Kolisi was touch-and-go for the match but would definitely be fit for the Round Four fixture in Wellington next week.
However, the double World Cup-winning skipper has been selected in the number eight jersey, featuring in the role for just the second time in his career, following yet ANOTHER setback in the position.
Jean-Luc du Preez was seemingly set to start the match but has been ruled out with a ‘niggle’, more on that later, meaning that Kolisi will now earn his 95th Test cap.
While it looks like a semi-fit Kolisi will be featuring in the encounter, the veteran Springbok will still be eager to get stuck into his nation’s fiercest rivals, even if it is without the captaincy armband.
Jesse Kriel
Due to the doubt around Kolisi’s fitness, Kriel was named internally as the captain for this weekend, and despite the former’s inclusion in the team, he retains the role.
In July, the experienced midfielder became the 67th Test captain of the Springboks, leading the side against Italy in the first game at Loftus Versfeld and reprising the role last time out against Australia, winning both matches.
However, this is a far greater task for the centre who will be aiming to lead his team to a historic victory at Eden Park, a feat just two men prior to him have achieved – Boy Morkel in 1921 and Phil Nel in 1937.
Kriel has been a true stalwart for the Boks and has emerged as a real leader recently, moving ahead of the likes of Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Handre Pollard for the honour of leading the team.
Rassie Erasmus explains surprise Springboks captaincy call as Siya Kolisi is overlooked
Ethan Hooker
An inspired selection from the Springboks coaching staff and a frankly bold one. Hooker was arguably the most in-form player in the United Rugby Championship last season and deservedly earned a call-up and a Test debut against Georgia.
However, he has not doubled his cap tally since, but is set to do so against South Africa’s most respected opponents at their most hallowed ground.
Hooker will provide cover at centre and wing for the Springboks in the latter stages of the match and is bound to add pace, power and aerial prowess in the second half. The 22-year-old is primed to have a long, successful career at the highest level and could rocket to stardom with his cameo this weekend.
Handre Pollard
It was inevitable that Pollard was going to start the Springboks’ biggest game of the year. The man has ice in his veins and usually produces his absolute best in the biggest fixtures, and outside of the Rugby World Cup, there is no bigger game for South Africa than facing the All Blacks in New Zealand, with Eden Park only adding to the occasion.
Still, since Tony Brown joined the Bok coaching team, there has been a bigger impetus on their attacking game, and Pollard is being a bit limited in his ability to get the ball to the extremities.
But when it comes to the crunch, there is no fly-half in the squad right now who has risen to the occasion and produced match-winning moments than the one who has been entrusted with the starting role this week.
Boks returning to Eden Park
New Zealand Rugby has somewhat shielded the Eden Park record from the Springboks over the past decade, with several of the legendary South African players never getting the opportunity to face the All Blacks at the iconic stadium.
However, there are three players who get a second crack at their old foe at their famed venue with Willie le Roux, Etzebeth and Kolisi returning to the ground after featuring in the 2013 defeat.
Le Roux was named on the right wing for the clash 12 years ago and runs out at full-back this week, while Etzebeth is named in his usual number four jumper. Finally, Kolisi came off the bench last time out but will line-up in the number eight position.
The likes of Victor Matfield, John Smit and Bryan Habana only got two shots at the All Blacks at Eden Park during their illustrious careers, so this week’s trio will be well aware of the rare opportunity they are getting.
Losers
Jean-Luc du Preez
If it wasn’t for bad luck, Du Preez would have no luck at all. The powerhouse loose forward has been on the fringes of the Springboks squad for the last eight years and has time and time again earned a call-up, which hasn’t materialised into a Test cap.
The 30-year-old has been a victim of the Springboks’ insane back-row depth over the years and looked to have finally got a look in following a plethora of setbacks, particularly at number eight.
A fortnight ago, he was included in the run-on team to face the Wallabies in Cape Town, a fixture that would have seen him earn his first start for his country in seven years, but his luck reared its ugly head again with the loose forward falling ill and withdrawing from the fixture ahead of kick-off.
This week, he was primed for a starting role yet again, but Erasmus confirmed that Du Preez sustained a knee injury in training on Wednesday, ruling him out of the clash with the All Blacks and resulting in a recall for Kolisi.
For just any other country and with a bit of luck, Du Preez would surely be a 50-Test cap international by this stage of his career, but man, he needs to invest in a four-leaf clover, horseshoe, rabbit’s foot or all of the above.
Overlooked locks
Perhaps the position where the Springboks have the most depth as the selection of Ruan Nortje, Etzebeth and Lood de Jager means that world-class operators Franco Mostert and RG Snyman both miss out on the clash with the All Blacks.
Etzebeth was surely the only nailed-on selection of the five locks in the squad, meaning that whoever missed out from there would be losers.
However, it’s clear to see that Erasmus views the lineout as a real battleground with the inclusions of Nortje and De Jager in particular – probably the Boks’ two best lineout callers. Etzebeth is also possibly the best front lineout jumper in world rugby.
It’s quite remarkable for Nortje to be selected too, with the Bulls leader really rocketing up the pecking order over the last 12 months for the Springboks. The 27-year-old was not included in the squad for the July internationals last year but eased the lock injury crisis during the Rugby Championship, cementing his place in the squad, and now gets the nod for the biggest game since the Rugby World Cup final.
Manie Libbok
With the Springboks travelling to New Zealand with three classy fly-half options, there was always going to be a loser in the battle for the number 10 and 22 jersey this week, and that is Libbok.
The exciting number 10 started the Rugby Championship opener against Australia, and while he played a pivotal role in racing into a 22-0 lead, he played an equal part in the failure to control proceedings as South Africa collapsed to a historic defeat.
Damian Willemse and Aphelele Fassi
The return of Le Roux to the full-back role means that Damian Willemse and Aphelele Fassi both miss out. Erasmus has stated the overlooked pair are struggling with confidence, which has resulted in Le Roux being backed for the position.
Fassi started both matches so far in the competition and was tipped for a potential third start, possibly on the wing, but that has not proven to be the case as Canan Moodie and Cheslin Kolbe have been preferred.
As for Willemse, Erasmus stated that he ‘knows where he needs to improve’ and that the Boks coaching team have a plan for the youngest double Rugby World Cup winner ever. However, that plan does not include a start this weekend.
Marnus van der Merwe
A starring Test debut against Georgia earned Van der Merwe a spot in the Rugby Championship squad, but the Scarlets hooker has been used rather sparingly since.
Against Australia in Cape Town, he got just a few minutes off the bench in the latter stages of the match, and this week, he has been overlooked despite Bongi Mbonambi’s absence.
This week, Jan-Hendrik Wessels gets the nod as Malcolm Marx’s back-up with the versatile front-row forward primed to make an impact from the bench.
Cobus Wiese
Erasmus may well rue the decision to omit Cobus Wiese, the younger brother of Jasper, in the touring squad to New Zealand. The aggressive forward has the ability to cover lock and the loose forward roles, which could well have come in handy this week.
Kolisi was also going to be under a selection cloud this week, while the older Wiese was always going to miss this game through suspension. That limited the Springboks’ options for the number eight jersey, which suffered another blow with Du Preez’s midweek injury.
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