Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has announced the latest starters to take on England at Twickenham for the business end of next year’s Rugby World Cup.
It’s not quite the same XV which far exceeded expectations in the Rugby Championship, but like the Rugby Championship group, the Twickenham run-on team can beat anyone eight times out of ten.
Including one world champions, All Blacks.
Headed by a massive, comforting pack which screams balance throughout, the latest Bok team will sure see the exciting backline being exposed to chances aplenty to show their stuff.
Let’s start in the front row where Steven Kitshoff replaces incumbent loosehead prop Tendai Mtawarira, who misses out due to injury. With ‘Beast’, who’s stepped into his twilight, out, the Boks will be given a glimpse of the future in Europe.
Let me not digress. With Kitshoff the exception, the rest of the front row has been Rassie’s preferred.
Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit come in as Nos 4 and 5 – a combination that screams everything but ‘weak’.
Captain Siya Kolisi, who’s made the openside birth his own (No 6 is openside flank in SA), leads a burly and balanced loose trio concluded by standout returnee Duane Vermeulen and Warren Whiteley, whose leadership skills, should he stay healthy, will be imperative now and in future.
The fact that Vermeulen is shifted to the side of the scrum from his preferred No.8 berth, should tell you how important Whiteley is.
The inclusion of Damian Willemse at full-back reminds me of that Patrick Lambie in the same position during Peter de Villiers’ days. The talented Stormers back will undoubtedly bring welcome ‘X-factor’ along with side duo Aphiwe Dyanti and S’bu Nkosi.
With Ivan van Zyl set to feed Handre Pollard, and blockbusting Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel completing the centre pairing, even the backline looks more complete in terms of balance between offence and defence.
The likes of Dyanti, Kriel, Nkosi and Willemse have proven their creativity and ruthless finishing, while the bigger De Allende and Pollard offer extra cushion on defence.
Paper suggests that the Bok mentor is getting closer to his strongest combination in terms of personnel, now it’s up to the players to certify it.
Watch this space.
Springbok squad to face England:
15 Damian Willemse, 14 S’bu Nkosi, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ivan van Zyl, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Duane Vermeulen, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff
Substitutes: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Thomas du Toit, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Lood de Jager, 21 Embrose Papier, 22 Elton Jantjies, 23 André Esterhuizen
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