Springboks team: Five takeaways as Rassie Erasmus keeps ‘everyone guessing’ while ‘throwing’ shock call-up into the deep end
Cheslin Kolbe and Zachary Porthen start for the Springboks.
After the announcement of the Springboks team to face Japan at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, here’s our five takeaways from Rassie Erasmus’ selection.
New kid on the block
What a moment it promises to be for 21-year-old Zachary Porthen when he pulls on the Springboks jersey and runs out to make his Test debut this weekend.
The Stormers tighthead’s inclusion in South Africa’s touring squad was a surprise in itself, so to now earn a start at the first attempt, he must be pinching himself.
Fortunately for Porthen, he is surrounded by vast experience in the starting front-row where he packs down alongside Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche, with Wilco Louw included on the bench and other veterans plus scrum guru Daan Human nearby, so he is in perfect hands.
Bench questions
Is it a 6/2, 5/3 or 4/4? Erasmus had everyone guessing when he confirmed his replacements bench for the Brave Blossoms match, as Andre Esterhuizen was among the forwards. The centre, who has recently been blooded in the back-row for his country, appears to be settling into life in the pack and Erasmus confirmed that’s his role this week.
He’s joined by an all-Bulls front row of Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp, and Louw with Ruan Nortje and Kwagga Smith completing the six forward options, while Grant Williams and Manie Libbok are the backs. However, should the Boks lose a centre during the game, it’s highly likely Esterhuizen will revert to midfield and once again prove his versatility is an added bonus.
It seems every game there’s fascination not just in the starting XV but also the bench and it feels as though Erasmus enjoys the sideshow that keeps everyone guessing.
Japan-based line-up
This opening end-of-year meeting was always classified as being for a Springboks team largely made up of Japan-based players and so it has proved. In total, there are nine players who ply their trade in the Asian competition and they are Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager, Marx, Smith and Libbok.
That adds something extra to this Test as they are well known to their opponent and supporters and conversely, these Boks know a good deal about the Brave Blossoms. Furthermore, Japan head coach Eddie Jones of course also has history with the Springboks after being an assistant coach back in 2007, so there are subplots galore at Wembley Stadium.
It’s worth noting that Pieter-Steph du Toit is the only Japan-based player who does not crack the matchday 23, as Erasmus is seemingly saving him for the bigger matches that lie ahead. The Bok boss had explained that this game is being used to get some minutes into the legs of those who haven’t had a domestic competition to play in since the Rugby Championship, but it’s not uncommon for Du Toit to hit top form almost immediately after a break and is being backed to do the same again.
Eyes on Kolbe
Full-back was one of the key talking points when Erasmus named his touring squad, as it was a group shorn of the injured Aphelele Fassi and the omission of ageing Willie le Roux. That led to versatile Springboks stars being suggested as No. 15 options on tour, players such as Damian Willemse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Edwill van der Merwe and also Kolbe.
It turns out the latter is a first cab off the rank to fill the number 15 jersey, and we can expect a huge amount of excitement from the two-time Rugby World Cup winner.
Kolbe has been seen donning the full-back shirt at his club side Tokyo Sungoliath and promises to be a safe pair of hands this Saturday while putting on a show with that X-factor he’s known for. A solid performance feels inevitable and would offer boss Erasmus another option as he looks to cover an important position heading towards Australia 2027.
Insurance policies
Erasmus set the tone for Porthen, stating that “at this level, you have to sink or swim”, but that does not just apply to him in this case, as several players will have to prove a point this November and not just against Japan.
Grobbelaar is certainly one of them after earning a recall to the squad after being overlooked for the July internationals as well as the Rugby Championship. Erasmus and his staff preferred Marnus van der Merwe instead, but have now given the Bulls forward another shot. For so long, the Springboks have been searching for their third choice hooker behind Marx and Bongi Mbonambi, and now the latter looks to be ageing out of the squad. With Jan-Hendrik Wessels’ involvement still up in the air this November, this is a massive opportunity for Grobbelaar to prove that he is a reliable option.
Back to Porthen, and he has clearly been called in to see how he handles international rugby, and while a cap against France and Ireland looks unlikely, he could end the year with two or three appearances in the Green and Gold. It’s certainly a litmus test for the rookie as Erasmus and Humaan could have quite easily selected Vincent Koch instead of the rookie tighthead, who will become the youngest Bok prop in the professional era. With doubts around Frans Malherbe’s return to rugby, Erasmus is exploring his more youthful options but is arming him with the experienced and proven internationals to make the transition to the highest level more seamless. He has been thrown into the deep end, but with a PFD.
The inclusion of Esterhuizen on the bench is just another insurance policy that the Boks have implemented, as not only can he limit Siya Kolisi’s minutes but step into the midfield easily if there is a backline injury. A man-management ploy, but one that allows for a Bomb Squad, 6-2 split, too.
The same goes for Kolbe’s selection at full-back. He has proven that he is more than capable of playing the position at club level, but hasn’t done so too often for the Boks.
