Rassie Erasmus predicts England 23 for World Cup semi-final against Springboks

Rassie Erasmus took a stab at predicting England’s matchday 23 for the Rugby World Cup semi-final against the Springboks.

Erasmus, South African Rugby’s director of rugby, revealed the team during a press conference on Tuesday after comparing the two teams’ match minutes throughout the competition.

Respect for England

He was initially asked if he was already thinking about the possibility of facing the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup.

“I think to talk about the All Blacks will be disrespectful to England,” Erasmus said.

“I was just looking at the possible teams I think can play; we average 200 minutes per player, they 260; the average cap of our team will be about 54, they’ll be about 59, the average age of our team is 30 the average age of their team is 29, and then the average weight is 104/150.”

“England’s unbeaten; they stuck to their guns since Borthwick he’s been appointed and believing in what they are doing, and it’s paying off.

“The team is full of belief, and they will be definitely hurting from not just last year when we beat them but also from the World Cup Final in 2019, so they will be a very desperate team and a team which you respect.”

Later in the press conference, a journalist said that they were interested in the team that he had written down, and Erasmus was happy to oblige but added, “We are guessing, obviously.”

There were only two positions where the Bok boss did not have one choice: at full-back with Marcus Smith and Freddie Steward listed and the replacement scrum-half with Ben Youngs and Danny Care.

Erasmus predicts England’s team

“Guessing the team is interesting,” Erasmus said when asked of the potential potholes or speedbumps England pose.

“Will Marcus [Smith] or Freddie [Steward] play? Marcus has got this massive X Factor, and Freddie is unbelievable under the high ball.

“Will Owen [Farrell] play inside centre and Tuilagi outside, or Ford come play fly-half and come drop goal everything there?

“They’ve got Courtney [Lawes] there that can play lock and flank. He’s been such a rock at flank for them, and with their energy with the other two young loose forwards, that shows so much energy on the field on all departments.

“They’ve got Sinckler, Jamie [George], and so many experienced players have played against us last time, and I think because they played us at the end of year last year, they played us in the World Cup in the World Cup final, I think they will have some beef with us.

“I think they will be very physical; I think they will definitely step it up at all set phases.”

Erasmus’ predicted England team: 15 Marcus Smith/Freddie Steward, 14 Jonny May, 13 Joe Marchant, 12 Manu Tuilagi, 11 Elliot Daly, 10 Owen Farrell, 9 Alex Mitchell, 8 Ben Earl, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Courtney Lawes, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje, 3 Kyle Sinckler, 2 Jamie George, 1 Ellis Genge

Predicted replacements: 16 Theo Dan, 17 Joe Marler, 18 Dan Cole, 19 George Martin, 20 Billy Vunipola, 21 Ben Youngs/Danny Care, George Ford, Ollie Lawrence.

After reading off the list, Erasmus added with a grin: “That’s who we think, but we might be totally wrong.”

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