Opinion: How Rassie Erasmus should utilise South Africa A clash with Zimbabwe including a possible matchday 23
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus and an inset of Bulls stars Cheswill Jooste and Embrose Papier.
South Africa A returns in 2026 as the team will raise the curtain on the Springboks’ international season with a clash against Zimbabwe.
The fixture has been put together after Rugby Africa president Herbert Mensah’s remarks in March and follows the Sables’ incredible run in the Rugby Africa Cup to qualify for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Four years ago, a talented South Africa A team faced off against the likes of Munster and Bristol Bears during the end-of-year tour, but since then, the side has been on a hiatus. Players like Grant Williams, Aphelele Fassi, Elrigh Louw, Ruan Nortje, Thomas du Toit, Marco van Staden, and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu featured in those matches and have since become regular Springboks squad members.
Much like two fixtures four years ago, the curtain-raiser against Zimbabwe provides another opportunity for Rassie Erasmus and his coaching staff to test a host of players in the Springboks systems and perhaps even some of the local assistant coaches.
Zimbabwe won’t be at full-strength and neither will South Africa A
Similarly, the Sables won’t be at full-strength for the fixture because the match will take place outside of World Rugby’s official international window, meaning that Zimbabwe won’t be able to call upon all of their players based abroad.
They will essentially need to rely on locally-based players, many of whom didn’t feature in last year’s Rugby Africa Cup final, and hope that they can convince a handful of clubs to release their players without having to use World Rugby regulation nine. These were the concerns and reluctancies initially raised with staging the fixture in June and not later in the year.
These factors will certainly not escape Springboks’ boss Erasmus, who can utilise this opportunity to really cast a wide net and select players who are on the outer fringes of the squad. He alluded to doing just that in the statement confirming the fixture.
“This match will offer us another chance to give guys within our squad and others who have really put up their hands to prove what they can do against international opposition,” he said.
“We have done well to rotate our squad and give several players a chance in the last two seasons, but there are others who have performed really well outside of that group, who we would like to see in action, so we’ll be able to cast our net wider as we prepare for that encounter.”
The match against the Barbarians is being used as a launchpad for the international season and gives many of the Japan-based players much-needed gametime, with their season concluding in May.
That means that the SA A game won’t be needed for that purpose, and while the coaching staff is yet to be confirmed, Erasmus will surely insist that the Springboks structures are utilised. To be frank, South Africa will be clear-cut favourites, even without the Springboks’ regulars, and a host of young, untested players should be given the opportunity to prove themselves within the structures.
Delving into the backline options
Essentially, an almost hard rule should be adopted that a capped Springbok shouldn’t play the curtain-raiser in Gqeberha, and frankly, there is no shortage of talent that could turn out.
Starting at full-back, Quan Horn is surely set to get more of a look into the Springboks squad this year with Willie Le Roux falling down the pecking order. This means that Junior Springboks stars Luan Giliomee and Jaco Williams come into the wrecking as does La Rochelle-bound utility back David Kriel.
Williams could be a starting winger too, as could Bulls rookie Cheswill Jooste, who attended the Springbok alignment camp. Playing against Zimbabwe could be a litmus test of sorts for the aforementioned trio.
Choice of youth or experience in the centres
Into the centres, and there is no shortage of options, either starting with Lions star Henco van Wyk. Erasmus is clearly a fan of the outside centre who played for SA A in 2022 but has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, limiting his involvement with the Boks.
He would surely be in the running for a selection as would Sharks midfielder Jurenzo Julius, who has also attended Bok camps and has made notable improvements in his game since shifting to inside centre under JP Pietersen’s tutelage.
An exception to the hard rule of no capped Springboks could be made for Jan Serfontein, who has returned to South Africa after a successful spell at Montpellier. Injury has limited his appearances for the Bulls this campaign, but he is proven quality and could be a real asset going forward.
On the complete opposite end of the scale, 19-year-old Markus Muller has already been identified as a real prospect going forward and could also feature in some shape or form, while Bronson Mills has been a consistent performer for the Lions.
Scrum-half conundrum
In terms of the fly-half position, two-test cap playmaker Jordan Hendrikse could be in the selection frame, especially with Manie Libbok likely to feature in the later kick-off. If not him, then Jurie Matthee would be the next in line, but likely contend with the likes of youngster Vusi Moyo and the experienced Chris Smith and Siya Masuku.
Going full-hog and selecting an incredibly young and inexperienced group of players carries its own risks, again, something Erasmus and his staff will be wary of. So a more experienced 10 like Smith or Masuku would not be the worst decision.
That could also influence the scrum-half selection, with Haashim Pead bound to enter the coaching team’s discussions. Scrum-half is somewhat of a conundrum as it could be an ideal fixture for Embrose Papier to get a run, or even Imad Khan, Nico Steyn, or Bradley Davids.
Spoilt for choice in the back-row
South Africa would have the same issue around selecting overseas-based players as Zimbabwe, hence the locally-based backline, and that theme continues into the pack.
Lions captain Francke Horn is consistently one of his team’s best players week in and week out, but has struggled to force his way into the Springboks selection frame. He would be one of the talents primed for the number eight jersey, but so would one-cap Bok Phepsi Buthelezi, Bulls’ tyro Jeandré Rudolph. Hacjivah Dayimani and Marcel Theunissen offer contrasting approaches to the role, too. Perhaps, the number eight jersey could be used to shoohorn one vastly experienced player like Deon Fourie, who could even skipper the team.
The make-up of the back-row is almost endless, with Ruan Ackermann, Renzo du Plessis, Reinhardt Ludwig, and Riley Norton supplying options, but perhaps a good mix would be Horn at number eight, Bathobele Hlekani on the blindside and Paul de Villiers at openside.
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Position of real interest for Rassie Erasmus
A position that Erasmus will have a keen eye on is the lock with the Springboks boss lamenting the lack of depth in the position. Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, and RG Snyman are either in doubt or have been ruled out for at least the start of the Boks’ season.
It’s yet to be seen who Erasmus will turn to ease the injury crisis, which does shallow the selection pool, but there are up-and-coming options worthy of an opportunity in the Bulls pairing of JF van der Heerden, Ruan Vermaak, and even Ludwig. The Sharks have Emile van Heerden and Corne Rahl, whilst Montpellier-bound Ruben van Heerden is another option, along with clubmate Adre Smith. Nico Janse van Rensburg has also piqued the Springboks’ interest but has been injured for much of the season.
Eben Etzebeth adds to Sharks injury crisis as Springboks sweat over lock stocks
SA A front-rower depth and possible 23
The front row options are less obvious than the rest, but one-cap tighthead Neethling Fouche and fellow 2025 debutant Asenathi Ntlabakanye would be solid selections and disregard the hard rule set.
Phatu Ganyane has shone for the Sharks on the loosehead side of the scrum, and the Boks have identified Kai Pratt as another up-and-comer.
As for hooker, there are intriguing selection options in the form of Fez Mbatha, who was once on the Boks’ radar but has slipped out of view. His future clubmate Esethu Mnebelele was set to join the Springboks on tour in November last year before injury, and continues to shine for the U20s. Ethan Bester, if fit, could also come into the wreckening as could Andre-Hugo Venter and JJ Kotze.
Erasmus will almost certainly have an idea of who he would like to see turn out for the SA A team against Zimbabwe but it really should be a team stacked with players who are on the outer fringes of the wider squad.
A possible South Africa A XV to face the Sables: 15 Luan Giliomee, 14 Jaco Williams, 13 Henco van Wyk, 12 Jurenzo Julius, 11 Cheswill Jooste, 10 Jurie Matthee, 9 Haashim Pead, 8 Francke Horn, 7 Bathobele Hlekani, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 JF van der Heerden, 4 Corne Rahl, 3 Neethling Fouche, 2 Fez Mbatha, 1 Phatu Ganyane
Replacements: 16 Esethu Mnebelele, 17 Sazi Sandi/Kai Pratt, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Ruan Vermaak, 20 Emmanuel Tshituka, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Jordan Hendrikse, 23 Markus Muller
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