Jean de Villiers’ warning to Rassie Erasmus over ageing Springboks who can become ‘a very big problem’
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus and an inset of Jean de Villiers.
Jean de Villiers warns that there could be a bit of friction created in the Springboks squad if Rassie Erasmus is not careful.
Since the success of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Erasmus has heavily rotated his squad, blooding in the next generation of stars in the Green and Gold jersey.
The Bok boss has explained the need to do just that with many of the double World Cup winners well into their 30s now, and they are in the twilight of their careers.
Veteran Springboks’ role in the squad going forward
The overall vibe from the squad has come off as a collaborative one, with players repeatedly stating that everything is for the betterment of the team.
However, De Villiers warns that it can change very quickly, and it takes just one of the veteran Springbok players to alter the environment.
The former captain discussed the age profile of the squad on the Good, Bad and Rugby podcast, when he was asked if many of the older players in the squad would still make the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia and, if not, whether Erasmus would start turning over the team now.
“I think that they will go to the World Cup,” De Villiers stated.
“It’s great to have those kinds of players that you know that you can fall back on and provide something different in terms of your strategy going into a game.
“The only issue that it could create is when you are in an environment where you have a group of players that are used to being first-choice players who now become second choice – what can happen is the culture comes under threat.
“You’ve been the main guy, but now you are not, and it can create a bit of friction because the youngsters are coming through.”
While he is wary of a potential rift, De Villiers hasn’t seen any signs of that occurring yet.
“It’s a fascinating position to be in, and we are in an extremely fortunate position with the number of players we have, and I haven’t seen anything from a culture point of view where you can say that these guys aren’t contributing to the success of the team on and off the field,” he continued.
“From within the squad, it has always been the older guys trying to help the younger ones come through and assist them. If you have that healthy environment, then it works quite well, but just one guy having an issue can become a very big problem.”
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