Bok boss Erasmus has some big calls to make ahead of first Ireland Test

Will it be Handre Pollard or Manie Libbok in the Springbok No 10 jersey when the world champions take on Ireland in the first of two Tests in Pretoria this Saturday?

And, who between Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx will wear the No 2 jumper?

These are the two big selection choices facing coach Rassie Erasmus ahead of the highly anticipated series.

The match, and series, will pit the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup winners and top-ranked Boks against the Six Nations champions and number two-ranked Ireland. And, the Boks haven’t beaten the Irish since 2018.

While Libbok is viewed as a more attack-minded and crafty No 10, Pollard is the hard-as-nails, steady operator and pin-point accurate goal-kicker, so the big question is, who will Erasmus turn to for the first Test at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday?

Selection posers

This is but one of a number of tight selection calls that will have to be made in the next day or two, if Erasmus hasn’t already finalised his starting team.

Injuries and a few niggles to a number of key players could prevent Erasmus from picking his strongest matchday-23, but he is likely to still select a formidable side, full of World Cup winners.

Faf de Klerk and Makazole Mapimpi could miss out this week because of injuries picked up during last week’s one-off Test against Wales in London, but it would seem the rest of the men in the current Bok training group are all available to be selected this week.

A number of players who shone in London against Wales, such as Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu could miss out this week because Erasmus is likely to go with the more tried and tested men in his squad.

Who’ll be hooker?

It is expected that Willie le Roux will be back at fullback (with Damian Willemse currently injured) and that Cheslin Klobe and Kurt-Lee Arendse will play on the wings.

In midfield, Erasmus is likely to go with Jesse Kriel and Damian de Allende, with Lukhanyo Am missing out, while up front, Kwagga Smith or Evan Roose will join Pieter-Steph du Toit and captain Siya Kolisi in the loose-trio.

The only selection uncertainty in the tight-five is, who will start at hooker and who’ll play off the bench between Marx and Mbonambi.

Marx featured against Wales two weeks ago — his first outing since getting injured during the World Cup in France and he looked rather rusty — while Mbonambi played much of the last season for the Sharks, helping them to win the Challenge Cup competition.

Erasmus will name his matchday team on Tuesday.