Rassie Erasmus rejects Springboks’ ‘soft underbelly’ notion but rues ‘big loss’
RG Snyman and an inset of Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus.
Rassie Erasmus has rued the lock injury crisis that the Springboks are currently dealing with but doesn’t believe it will negatively impact South Africa against England.
The Nations Championship clash at Ellis Park this weekend is the Boks’ first official Test match of the season after Erasmus’ charges hammered the Barbarians 80-31 in a friendly a fortnight ago.
However, they will do so without the services of locks RG Snyman, Jean Kleyn, Franco Mostert, Salmaan Moerat, Lood de Jager and the uncapped Riley Norton. While the sextet all miss the opening Test match of the year, the likes of De Jager and Mostert could feature in July.
The long list of injuries in the second row means that Erasmus has not included an out-and-out lock on the bench for the fixture, with Marco van Staden and Cameron Hanekom named alongside the three front row replacements.
Rassie Erasmus on Elrigh Louw’s Springboks call-up
It’s an uncommon sight for the Springboks with Erasmus generally preferring two locks on his bench when selecting a 6-2 split and sometimes even still when going 5-3 with Andre Esterhuizen also offering hybrid cover.
But like in 2024, Pieter-Steph du Toit will be offering second row cover for the Springboks despite starting at blindside flanker, with Erasmus also now calling up Bulls’ utility forward Elrigh Louw, who missed the entirety of last year’s international season through injury.
Louw replaces Norton in the squad after the Junior Boks skipper sustained a nasty hamstring tear in training, with the head coach confirming that the Bulls man will provide cover in the locks too.
“In short, yes, but it’s actually just Pieter-Steph that we’re focusing a little bit more on lock with Riley Norton out,” he said, confirming that the lock injuries have led to his call-up.
“Sous [Mostert] is one or two weeks away, and Lood is also one or two weeks away. So we just want to make sure if we do get another injury in the week or on Saturday.
“We have Cobus Wiese there and Ruben van Heerden, but it’s also good to get Elrich back because he was very, very close to making the squad; he only missed out because our squad was just getting too big. It’s also quite nice, and I think he deserves to be here. He’s been a Springbok, and having him back in the squad is really nice.”
Rejection of soft underbelly claim
Having relied on the quality of locks that South Africa have in their stocks throughout his time with the Springboks, Erasmus is not concerned that the injury list creates a soft underbelly for England to target.
However, he admits that Snyman’s absence is a hammer blow and would be for any team in the world. The Leinster lock is set to miss the entire season due to an ACL injury.
“No, I don’t think so,” he said when asked whether the lack of second rowers among the replacements created a soft underbelly.
“I wouldn’t say it was always the locks. I mean, RG is definitely somebody that is a big loss for us without a doubt. He had an impact even when he started away against New Zealand in the second Test match. He is a big guy, and he really brings a lot of impact.
“Jean Kleyn wasn’t on the bench a lot, if my memory serves me right. Then Riley is quite a new guy.”
Excitement for Cameron Hanekom
He again confirmed that the crisis will be eased over the next two weeks but added that he is excited to see how the bench loose forwards can perform. One of those forwards is Hanekom, who is incredibly highly-rated and was bound to add to a single Test cap last year had it not been for injury.
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The 24-year-old has featured mostly in the starting lineup, at number eight, for the Bulls and could well be used as a replacement for Siya Kolisi in the second half.
“They are one or two weeks away [De Jager and Mostert], so for this Test match, having Peter covering lock for us, and having those two loose forwards, we think they are class loose forwards,” Erasmus continued.
“Marco has done a job for us many times, and that role is new for Cameron, but I think all of us know what his ability is. Hopefully that can translate to Test match level.
“But not having an RG Snyman, any team will tell you that you have less impact without him, without a doubt.”
