Springboks squad: Five takeaways as Rassie Erasmus signals ‘changing of the guard’ with ‘golden opportunity’ handed to Bulls star
Johan Grobbelaar is named in the Springboks squad.
Following the announcement of the Springboks’ 36-player squad and 10-man standby list for their year-end tour, here’s our five takeaways from Rassie Erasmus’ calls.
End of the road?
Some glaring omissions were evident in Monday’s 46-man selection, most notably Willie le Roux and Vincent Koch, and one wonders if they have played their final Test matches. Both players are 35 years of age and won’t head to the northern hemisphere, and with the World Cup a couple of years away, it’s a big ask to force their way back in.
While Thomas du Toit, Wilco Louw are top drawer options at tighthead, along with an uncapped youngster (more on that later), the shortage of specialist full-backs means Le Roux’s absence is perhaps more telling. It seems that Damian Willemse, Edwill van der Merwe and perhaps Cheslin Kolbe are the preferred picks for Erasmus on tour.
There’s also no place in the main squad for Bongi Mbonambi, Lukhanyo Am and Makazole Mapimpi, with the former’s absence perhaps the most surprising after he seemed to be a lock as the Springboks’ leading hookers alongside Malcolm Marx. Furthermore, with Marnus van der Merwe absent it feels like a stark slide for the Sharks veteran.
Is the end of the international road looming for this crop of Rugby World Cup winners? It seems increasingly so as the changing of the guard continues for the Springboks.
Newbie included
As mentioned above it’s a massive moment for young tighthead prop Zachary Porthen, who receives a call-up after impressing for the Junior Springboks and the Stormers.
A big, strong and athletic front-rower who is a very good scrummager but also a powerful carrier, his rise up through the ranks is just reward for his sustained run of form.
He shone for the Junior Boks in the World Rugby U20 Championship and was the only prop to really test England’s four-times capped star Asher Opoku-Fordjour in 2024.
Siya’s milestone
From new faces to old, Kolisi stands on the verge of becoming only the ninth South African Test centurion on this year-end tour after racking up his 98th Test cap in the side’s victory against Argentina in their final Rugby Championship match earlier this month, which saw the Boks clinch the southern hemisphere title for the second time in a row.
What a servant the skipper has been to the jersey and if, as expected, he sits out the Japan game on November 1, Kolisi is likely to reach his century against Italy in Rome.
Hooker changes
Coming back to the hooker jersey and it is an intriguing situation after Mbonambi drops to the standby list and Van der Merwe misses out entirely for this visit north.
Returning to the fold after a spell out in the cold is Johan Grobbelaar and he will be desperate to grab this opportunity with both hands, not least with the prospect of locking down a long-term spot in the 23 going into the 2027 Rugby World Cup. The Bulls man had been viewed by many as a solid successor but has been in and out thus far and will hope a good tour showing finally convinces Erasmus that he is the next cab off the rank after Marx and Mbonambi, with this a golden opportunity to do just that.
Standby quality
Moving to that standby list and there is some quality options ready and waiting, not least Evan Roos and Juarno Augustus, who have been outstanding so far this season. Roos is tearing up trees for the Stormers while Augustus is already a favourite at Ulster, helped considerably by his showing against the Bulls in the URC earlier this month.
On form, both players can count themselves unlucky to miss out on the main 36 as it looks as though Jasper Wiese is set to be supported by Kwagga Smith and possibly Kolisi as the options at number eight. The duo will hope to impress at training and with this being a longer tour than normal surely a chance will arise to make an impression.
There is also a deserved call-up for Bulls wing Sebastian de Klerk and, like Roos and Augustus, it provides the speed merchant with a great platform to prove his worth.
READ MORE: Springboks handed end-of-year boost as Rassie Erasmus finds way around World Rugby policy
