Why Rassie Erasmus snubbed Eben Etzebeth and Handre Pollard for Springboks captaincy: ‘We are trying to build our leadership group’
Rassie Erasmus says that Andre Esterhuizen 'deserves the opportunity' to captain the Springboks.
Rassie Erasmus says that Andre Esterhuizen ‘deserves the opportunity’ to captain the Springboks as South Africa look to expand their leadership group.
The hybrid star will become the 68th player to captain the Springboks in a Test match on Sunday when South Africa face off against Australia in Perth.
The call to hand Esterhuizen the leadership role will have taken many by surprise, considering that Eben Etzebeth and Handre Pollard were both named in the starting XV, two players who have captained the team previously.
Why Andre Esterhuizen will captain the Springboks
However, Erasmus explained that he wants the Sharks star to experience what it is like to lead his country as they build leadership depth in the run-up to the World Cup.
“It wasn’t a question of who we were going to make captain; it was a question of whether we build our senior players so that everyone has a voice,” he told reporters after naming his matchday 23.
“A guy like Eben Etzebeth, whether he is captain or not, always brings the same attitude: a wise, calm head on his shoulders. Handre will always know what he’s doing when he’s playing; Jesse [Kriel] isn’t playing, but he’s been our captain, and Siya [Kolisi] obviously too. We are trying to build our leadership group that way.”
The opportunity to captain the team is an indication of just how important Esterhuizen has become in the Springboks set-up after he struggled for game time in the Green and Gold. South Africa have been spoilt for choice in the centre position since his debut back in 2018, with Damian de Allende dominating the jersey, with Frans Steyn also being an option before his retirement before the 2023 World Cup.
Erasmus and former head coach Jacques Nienaber repeatedly overlooked Esterhuizen for more versatile options like Steyn, Damian Willemse and even Lukhanyo Am, but that all changed last year against the Barbarians when he came off the bench as a flanker.
Servant to the team and Sharks’ improvement
The 32-year-old has since committed to being a hybrid player, offering cover at inside centre and flanker, which has seen him become a regular fixture for the Boks, playing in 16 Test matches since the start of last season after 19 in the six years prior.
“Andre has been the Sharks captain, and he’s been one of the players that, whenever you ask something of him, being a hybrid player or playing behind Damian de Allende and Damian Willemse a lot, and then accepting to play as a forward and backline player – we just feel we would love to see him in this situation against a really strong Australian team,” Erasmus continued.
“Obviously Eben is our vice-captain, so we feel it’s not just the honour of him getting captaincy, but it will also help us as a team going forward into matches and closer to the World Cup to have more guys who know what it feels like to lead the Springboks.”
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The Bok boss adds that the learnings Esterhuizen gets from the experience could help other captains in matches going forward and that’s why he has resisted handing the leadership role to the likes of Etzebeth and Pollard.
He was also impressed by the way the Sharks improved under Esterhuizen’s leadership when he took over the captaincy when JP Pietersen was named as head coach.
“Look, the team he’s playing with here is not a young team, as the average age is 28/29 and there’s a lot of experience. Jantjies has played many times for us against Australia. Handre is experienced; Ethan is experienced,” Erasmus added.
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“We could have made Eben or Handre captain; there are many guys that we could have made captain here, but we just feel the way he’s been carrying himself whilst he has been the Sharks captain. When they went through a tough time, I really thought he pulled them together, obviously with JP and the whole set-up there. But what he’s meant in our team, for us serving the team a hell of a lot, accepting that, listen, I’m now a flanker, I’m now a centre, now I’m playing off the bench, now I’m a loose forward, so that’s the kind of players we enjoy in the team.
“We could have given it to Eben again, but we know what he brings as a captain, and if we get a couple of injuries going forward into the World Cup, and we have to press somebody’s number, Andre will be another one. So, we’re very impressed with not just him, but a lot of other players, and we feel he really deserves the opportunity. Not that we don’t think any of the other guys can’t do it. We just think being Bok captain, you suddenly feel how it feels to lead a country, and then you become better at supporting the other captain when he’s captain.”
