Springboks: Rassie Erasmus’ five biggest selection headaches for France grudge match
Springboks Ox Nche and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and head coach Rassie Erasmus.
Rassie Erasmus has a few selection headaches for the grudge match with France at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Saturday.
The Springboks have been hit with a few untimely setbacks ahead of the first meeting between the two teams since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, which has hampered preparations.
Most notably in the front-row, which is perhaps why the team announcement has been moved from the usual Monday or Tuesday time slot.
That, or it is a ploy to keep France head coach Fabien Galthie guessing. In the meantime, we take a look at the five biggest selection headaches.
Who fills Ox’s void?
Right after the final whistle at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, Erasmus and scrum guru Daan Human were locked in a debate, presumably about how they were going to fill the best loosehead prop in the world’s void.
It’s the second time that the Boks have had to replace one of the best props in the world; in fact, it’s been a bit of an issue for the side since the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with Steven Kitshoff forced into retirement, while Frans Malherbe has been sidelined all of this year.
Not only are they without Nche, they are also heading into the meeting without the highly-regarded Jan-Hendrik Wessels, who has impressed at hooker and prop.
The debate between Human and Erasmus ultimately led to the decision to call up tighthead prop Asenathi Ntlabakanye to take Ox Nche’s spot in the squad, with the Bok boss explaining in the post-match press conference that Thomas du Toit will provide cover at loosehead prop.
This is where the conundrum comes in for the Springboks. Gerhard Steenekamp, who marked his return to Test rugby off the bench in Nche’s place against Japan, is a straightforward call as one of the two loosehead props. He has shown no signs of rust despite his lengthy lay-off, and whether he is starting or coming off the bench, he is a safe option.
That leaves Erasmus and Human to decide whether Du Toit’s shift to loosehead from tighthead, where he has been most destructive at Test level, is necessary or not. Boan Venter has impressed in his five appearances in Green and Gold this year, but the question is whether he has done so enough to be entrusted with competing against a powerhouse French pack.
If Du Toit is preferred in one of the loosehead prop roles, that creates another debate on who fills the tighthead roles. Wilco Louw will fill one of those positions, whether that be in the starting line or on the bench; he has been performing in the latter more recently.
So then, did Zachary Porthen do enough in his Test debut against Japan to convince the coaches that he is prepared enough to tackle Les Bleus? If not, is Ntlabakanye ready to slot back into the Green and Gold jersey, having last played during the Rugby Championship? The Lions star has produced strong outings in the URC and for the Baa-Baas last week after being released from the squad to fight his failed doping test.
Nche’s injury is a mammoth blow and cannot be understated, but it’s clear that the Bok coaching team is not short on answers. The big challenge is figuring out which is the right one.
Springboks: Nick Mallett highlights impact of Ox Nche’s departure for rest of end-of-year tour
Who starts at 10?
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has started the last four Springboks Test matches in the number 10 jersey and could make it a fifth on Saturday at the Stade de France.
There is no doubt about the youngster’s prowess and his freakish ability to play well beyond his 23 years. Erasmus realises this and has backed him in some huge matches already, entrusting him to lead the attack against the All Blacks in New Zealand and at home, Ireland in South Africa and in the must-win Rugby Championship matches earlier this year.
The headache comes in with whether Feinberg-Mngomezulu needs to experience starting a Test match in one of the most hostile environments in international rugby, or is it time to revert back to the more experienced heads of Manie Libbok and Handre Pollard?
Erasmus has repeatedly brought up the latter pair when the topic of Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s form has been raised. Considering the task at hand, it wouldn’t be a shocking call if the head coach turned to Libbok or Pollard.
It also wouldn’t be a surprise if Feinberg-Mngomezulu was handed the reins with one of Pollard or Libbok included on the bench as an insurance policy of sorts.
Canan Moodie or Jesse Kriel?
Unless Erasmus pulls a surprise, Damian de Allende will start at inside centre, but who partners him in the midfield is up in the air.
The De Allende-Jesse Kriel combination has featured 40 times in Test matches, which included the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final victory over this week’s opposition.
However, Canan Moodie has really impressed in the number 13 jersey when given the opportunity this year, particularly in the latter stages of the Rugby Championship and could be given the nod again.
Frankly, this is another call that Erasmus and his coaching team really can’t get wrong.
Replacement hooker
Had Wessels successfully appealed his ban, he may well be filling the number 16 jersey, if not the 17 jumper, but that is not the case.
The squad announcement for the end-of-year tour suggested that the Bulls forward was being lined up as an option at hooker, but in his absence, the Springboks are left with two out-and-out hookers in Malcolm Marx and Johan Grobbelaar.
Marx is back to playing his best rugby and is bound to be in the starting lineup, unless Erasmus throws a curveball and he has one in his armoury in the form of Marco van Staden.
There is an unlikely scenario where the Bok boss could gamble on the Bulls flanker shifting into the starting front-row with Marx providing impact and cover off the bench, knowing that he can play that card early if needed.
Additionally, Marx is more than capable of playing a full 80 minutes, and Van Staden could be included on the bench to provide additional back-row cover but shift into the front row in a crisis.
What to do with the bench?
Van Staden’s positional flexibility means that the Boks could add an extra emphasis in targeting France’s breakdown, but will also allow the coaches to select a bench to combat Les Bleus’ bench split.
Galthie has quickly become a fan of the 7-1 split and is likely to back the ploy against the first team to adopt the tactic in 2023. In fact, anything less than a 6-2 would be a real shock from the French head coach.
In contrast, Erasmus has been reluctant to deploy the tactic this year and is unlikely to change tack by going all in on the 7-1. However, a twist on the 6-2 is very much on the cards with the continued development of Andre Esterhuizen as a genuine flanker.
South Africa made use of his versatility against Australia and Japan and could now do so against New Zealand. We can certainly expect Kwagga Smith to be on the bench and perhaps either RG Snyman, Jean Kleyn, or Ruan Nortje, with Eben Etzebeth likely to pack down with Lood de Jager in the starting second row.
If they do go this route, then the two backline replacements will surely be Grant Williams and one of Pollard, Libbok and Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
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