Springboks: The unique reason why World Cup winner has been omitted despite prop crisis
Thomas du Toit and an inset of Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus.
Thomas du Toit was a notable absentee from the Springboks’ 37-man squad for the opening two rounds of the Rugby Championship.
Rassie Erasmus trimmed down the squad that featured during the July internationals against Italy (twice) and Georgia, as well as the friendly match against the Barbarians.
The Springboks head coach admitted that it was a tough challenge to whittle down his squad to the required size for the upcoming matches against the Wallabies, with several World Cup winners missing out.
Springboks released
Jasper Wiese is one of them after the number eight copped a ban following his red card in the second Test match against Italy.
He will miss both Tests against Australia due to that suspension, as well as the first against the All Blacks at Eden Park.
Meanwhile, fellow World Cup winners Lukhanyo Am, Faf de Klerk and Makazole Mapimpi have been placed on the stand-by list along with Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Neethling Fouche, and Vincent Tshituka.
However, Du Toit’s absence from the squad caught the eye, particularly considering the propping crisis the Springboks currently have. The loosehead prop stocks have been hit following the retirement of Steven Kitshoff last year, while Gerhard Steenekamp remains sidelined.
Swing prop Trevor Nyakane has also been ruled out for the entire year, with the same true for Frans Malherbe.
With the injuries racking up, Du Toit’s inclusion looked a straightforward decision with his ability to cover loosehead and tighthead prop.
However, SA Rugby confirmed that he has not been dropped from the squad but rather rested in accordance to the front rower’s compulsory two-week rest period. This is an agreement with the Boks and the Gallagher Premiership club Bath.
The 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning swing prop remains eligible to be called up at any stage should the need arise.
Maintaining strong relationships
While the Springboks would be within their rights to select the forward under World Rugby Regulations 8 and 9, this is not the first time that Erasmus and his coaching staff have granted players rest periods, notably doing so for Faf de Klerk during his time with Sale Sharks.
This is not only a player welfare decision, but one that will surely go a long way in maintaining a collaborative relationship with clubs, particularly English ones, that are renowned for strict regulations around player releases.
In Du Toit’s absence, newly capped props Boan Venter and Asenathi Ntlabakanye are set to make their Rugby Championship debuts, while rising star Jan-Hendrik Wessels will provide an option at loosehead prop and hooker.
The other props in the squad are Ox Nche, Vincent Koch and Wilco Louw, with Malcolm Marx, Bongi Mbonambi and Marnus van der Merwe covering hooker.
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