When Rassie Erasmus announces his Springbok team tomorrow morning – after shifting from the usual Tuesday slot – there are bound to be surprises.
The Bok boss hasn’t been shy to mix his matchday 23 from week to week, and that has given the entire squad confidence and belief that they are good enough to not only play Test rugby, but compete for a regular place in the team.
Who would have thought that Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu would start a series of games at flyhalf this year ahead of Handré Pollard and Manie Libbok, when he wasn’t even a regular in the Stormers team?
The same can be said of Bulls powerhouse Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who hardly featured in the United Rugby Championship (URC) – where he was mainly a hooker for the Pretoria side – but he has now started at loosehead prop for the world champions.
Sharks speedster Aphelele Fassi has worked hard on his game at franchise level and been rewarded with Bok game time this year – and so we can go on.
But looking at Saturday’s huge Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks at Cape Town Stadium, the time is ripe to revisit one of Erasmus’ famous party tricks: the seven-one bench split.
The last time the South Africans fielded seven forwards on the bench was in last year’s Rugby World Cup final against New Zealand in Paris.
On that day, the Boks had Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Trevor Nyakane, Jean Kleyn, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith and Jasper Wiese as substitutes, with Willie le Roux covering the entire backline.
Earlier this year, it was a five-three split against Wales, six-two in both Irish Tests, five-three against Portugal, six-two and five-three against the Wallabies in Australia, and six-two in last week’s 31-27 win over New Zealand at Ellis Park.
Massive thanks for all support yesterday 🤝 It was felt from the beginning to the end 🧬🇿🇦#Springboks#ForeverGreenForeverGold pic.twitter.com/6j4f6p6VvY
So, why go back to the seven-one split this weekend? Well, firstly, the All Blacks are feeling the heat of what was a brutal Ellis Park clash.
Assistant coach Jason Ryan was quite frank this week about the physical toll that last Saturday took on the players, speaking about the physicality and “tackles made that have big intensity, a lot bigger than we’ve had throughout the whole year so far”.
Considering that the All Blacks lost to a fired-up Argentina in Wellington a few weeks ago, that statement said a lot.
Asked by Independent Newspapers whether the Kiwis may opt to make a few changes to freshen up the team this week, Ryan suggested it was a possibility: “It’s a balance between keeping consistency in your squad and selections, but also being brave and giving guys opportunity so that they can actually live what this sort of intensity is like, because it’s a lot bigger contest mentally and physically.”
The Bok substitutes rescued the Ellis Park Test, ramping up the physicality and tempo in the second half as Malcolm Marx, Gerhard Steenekamp, Eben Etzebeth, Elrigh Louw and Kwagga Smith all got stuck in.
Now, imagine how the All Blacks will feel if there is an extra forward this weekend?
The high number of injury casualties at lock, which saw star flank Pieter-Steph du Toit having to move between No 4, No 5 and No 7 at Ellis Park, can also be backed up by having an extra specialist lock in fit-again Salmaan Moerat on the bench.
Bok scrum coach Daan Human said Steven Kitshoff is also being looked at for some game time on Saturday, so if he starts, either Nche, Steenkamp or Jan-Hendrik Wessels could be the reserve loosehead prop, while Thomas du Toit needs time on the pitch and can play on both sides of the front row.
The experienced Willie le Roux can cover most positions in the backline, while Cheslin Kolbe has slotted in at scrumhalf before.
Possible Springbok starting XV: 15 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 André Esterhuizen, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (capt)/Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortjé, 4 Salmaan Moerat, 3 Vincent Koch, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff; Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 18 Thomas du Toit, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Ben-Jason Dixon, 22 Elrigh Louw, 23 Willie le Roux