Nick Mallett: ‘Unusual selection’ from Rassie Erasmus means Springboks have ‘a very big ask’ against Wallabies
Nick Mallett: 'Unusual selection' from Rassie Erasmus means Springboks have 'a very big ask' against Wallabies
Nick Mallett has described the Springboks’ starting line-up for Sunday’s Test against the Wallabies in Perth as an “unusual selection” after Rassie Erasmus made several changes for the clash.
Head coach Erasmus has made 13 alterations to his run-on side for the one-off encounter from his starting XV that took to the field in their final Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks in Baltimore a fortnight ago.
Only two survivors from Baltimore Test
Experienced second-row Eben Etzebeth and exciting left wing Ethan Hooker are the only players who have retained their positions in the Boks‘ starting line-up for the clash with the Wallabies.
However, the world champions have a powerful replacments bench with first-choice players like Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche, Wilco Louw, Morne van den Berg, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Jasper Wiese all named for bench duty against Australia and the latter is set to make his 50th Test appearance for the Boks if he comes onto the field in Perth.
Mallett said he feels that Erasmus has rang the changes to his run-on side to provide game-time to most of the players who were not in action during the series against the All Blacks.
“It’s an unusual selection. He’s made, what is it, 13 changes,” he told the Talking Boks podcast. “I think the only two guys who started are Etzebeth and Hooker.
“Obviously, it’s giving opportunities to guys. We can never talk about a Bok A team, B team or C team.
“It’s about getting three players in each position who can ensure that the Boks will still play at the same level, no matter who plays in those positions. I think what Rassie is doing is giving an opportunity to all the guys who didn’t play against the All Blacks, but also guys who haven’t played for a while.
Springboks: Rassie Erasmus reveals Malcolm Marx experiment that could debut versus Australia
“A guy like (Handre) Pollard hasn’t played for a while. Herschel Jantjies hasn’t. You’ve got Paul de Villiers. His last game, was his first game against the All Blacks, and he played in the first Test (of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series).
Several players ‘going in a bit green’
“I can run through it. I mean, (Aphelele) Fassi hasn’t played recently. So a number of these players are really going to be going in a bit green.”
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
Mallett, who was the Springboks’ head coach from 1997 to 2000, believes it’s a risky move to make so many changes and drew a comparison with the side selected to face the Wallabies and world champions’ team who lost their opening Test against the Wallabies in Johannesburg.
“We saw what happened in our first Test against the All Blacks when we went in without having played together,” he said.
“So there is a risk to this, but I think it’s counterbalanced by the fact that Australia aren’t New Zealand. And we’re talking them up and we’re trying to be as positive as we possibly can.
“But they are, I think, seventh in the world at the moment. And so we’re having a look to see whether these players who’ve been selected are up to matching away from home a team that’s hosting the World Cup. I mean, it’s a big ask.
“Let’s not dodge it. I think it’s a very big ask, but these guys will be incredibly motivated to show Rassie that they mustn’t forget about them when he puts that team together, the squad together for the 2027 World Cup.”