Where do these 15 Bok veterans fit in Rassie’s 2027 World Cup plans?

While it is encouraging that coach Rassie Erasmus is looking to the future by calling up 16 young, uncapped players for the first of his Springbok alignment camps, one cannot help but wonder what his plans are for the older men in the 43-man alignment squad.

Also, several other experienced Springbok players who play their rugby in Europe won’t be part of the camp in Cape Town early next month, and they too fall into the category of “unknown” looking ahead to the 2027 World Cup.

The ages of many of the players who have now won back-to-back World Cups were talked about after the victory in France late last year, and again now it is interesting to note that all those players appear to still be in the mix to play for the Boks this year and beyond.

Or, is it a case of Erasmus keeping some of them in the fold to help guide the younger men for a year or two, or in the case of Willie le Roux, a real Bok stalwart over the years, get him to reach his 100 Test caps this season? He is on 93 caps, but at 34 is unlikely to play at the next World Cup.

Veteran Bok stars

Le Roux though is in the group that will do alignment and planning work next month ahead of the 2024 season, and Vincent Koch (33), Bongi Mbonambi (33), Makazole Mapimpi (33), Frans Malherbe (32), Eben Etzebeth (32) and Faf de Klerk (32) are also in the squad.

But, will these players still be in the mix in two years’ time … and in nearly four years’ time when the next World Cup comes around?

Recent World Cup winners who play abroad include Trevor Nyakane and Cobus Reinach who are 34, while Franco Mostert is 33, Siya Kolisi, Steven Kitshoff and Damian de Allende are 32, and Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marvin Orie are 31. There are several others who are 30. Are they still realistic Bok options, and how many of them will be part of the Boks later this year?

While it’s been a fantastic ride with the two-time World Cup-winning Bok squad, for how long will Erasmus back the older men — a year, two years, all the way to 2027?

Duane Vermeulen (37) called it quits late last year and has already taken up a coaching role at SA Rugby, while at 36 it is almost a given Deon Fourie doesn’t have a Bok future.

Will there be more Bok veterans opting out of international rugby in the near future, or will coach Erasmus be left to make the tough calls on certain players’ careers in the months ahead?

The recent World Cup winners who are 31 and older:

Willie le Roux (34), Trevor Nyakane (34), Cobus Reinach (34), Vincent Koch (33), Bongi Mbonambi (33), Makazole Mapimpi (33), Franco Mostert (33), Siya Kolisi (32), Steven Kitshoff (32), Damian de Allende (32), Frans Malherbe (32), Eben Etzebeth (32), Faf de Klerk (32), Pieter-Steph du Toit (31) and Marvin Orie (31).

Squad for first alignment camp next month:

Forwards: Eben Etzebeth, Neethling Fouche, Johan Grobbelaar, Celimpilo Gumede, Cameron Hanekom, Andre-Hugo Venter, Vincent Koch, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Malcolm Marx, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Salmaan Moerat, Ox Nche, Ruan Nortje, Evan Roos, Kwagga Smith, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marnus van der Merwe, Ruben van Heerden, Marco van Staden, Ruan Venter, Jan-Hendrik Wessels

Backs: Lukhanyo Am, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Faf de Klerk, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Suleiman Hartzenberg, Jaden Hendrikse, Jordan Hendrikse, Quan Horn, Herschel Jantjies, Jesse Kriel, Willie le Roux, Manie Libbok, Makazole Mapimpi, Canan Moodie, Sanele Nohamba, Morne van den Berg, Henco van Wyk, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse.