It’s no secret that Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus is always looking to the future, specifically the Rugby World Cup when he makes decisions.
Erasmus knows time waits for no man, and even this core group of golden generation of Springbok superstars will one day have to be put to pasture. It’s the circle of the rugby life.
Blooding young players have over the years come at the cost of Test wins for Erasmus’ Boks, with the bigger picture of Rugby World Cup success always the main goal. And this cycle towards the 2027 tournament is especially interesting, as it’s likely going to be the last time we see some of the greatest ever Springboks in action.
Some of these giants of the game may not even make it that far, as the core of the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning teams find themselves on the wrong side of 30. And, Erasmus, knows that all too well.
The Springboks coach finds himself in a privileged position few other Springbok coaches enjoyed over the years. Those two Webb-Ellis trophies on his CV gives him a lot more leeway to experiment and blood new youngsters because it has been a proven recipe for success on the biggest stage of them all.
Rassie 𝘰![CDATA[]]>𝘯 𝘈![CDATA[]]>𝘭![CDATA[]]>𝘭![CDATA[]]>𝘦![CDATA[]]>𝘴
— Springboks (@Springboks) August 14, 2024
Episode 7: Rassie on the perfect player.
Enjoy!🍿![CDATA[]]>🔊#ForeverGreenForeverGold #Springboks pic.twitter.com/4xhVapuAbt
His predecessors didn’t have that luxury, as the South African public didn’t have the patience to accept rebuilding jobs. It was normally win at all costs in between the 12-year wait for another World Cup title.
It’s why ageing Springbok teams failed to win the cup in 2011 and 2015, because succession planning had to take a backseat for results.
The 10 changes Erasmus made to the Springboks side for Saturday is certainly another building block for Erasmus towards a smooth transition from the old to the new, before and after the World Cup. But that doesn’t mean he has picked a team who he thinks can’t beat the Wallabies.
There is a still a Pieter-Steph du Toit, a Jessie Kriel, a Lukhanyo Am, a Makazole Mapimpi in the starting team. The bench features eight World Cup winners, with players such as Eben Etzebeth and Handre Pollard in the mix as a safety net.
What Erasmus is essentially saying to the youngsters is go grab your opportunity. Go show us that you belong in the green and gold, and I will take the flack, come what may.
With two big matches against the All Blacks at home to come, this is basically also an audition to be part of those encounters, where Erasmus will for sure pick his big guns in both Tests.
So, Erasmus isn’t setting these newbies up to fail, he is giving them a chance to stake a claim.
“Our main goal is always to win games, and that’s something we don’t take for granted,” assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said on Friday.
“We are also trying to transform the team, and we have 33 players here, who have all been working hard for their opportunity.
“As coaches we trust all the players here and we are thrilled to see them get a chance to prove themselves. We believe in these guys to lift up their hands and to give the coaches the answers they are looking for before the New Zealand Tests, so we are excited to see what they dish up.”
Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat on Friday admitted that the rookies picked for the Perth clash are “desperate” to do well against the Wallabies and repay Erasmus’ faith.
Many of these players featured in the big win over Portugal in Bloemfontein, including Moerat, who made his debut as captain in that match. The Wallabies will certainly be a step up, but the young Springboks are ready for action.
“One thing that’s for certain is that everyone in this team is desperate for this chance and they want to cement their places in the squad with an eye on the New Zealand Tests,” Moerat said.
“If we can get a good result going into the All Black Tests in South Africa, it would give us a lot of confidence.”
@JohnGoliath82