Boks in Argentina: Is Rassie going to spring a selection surprise?

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus is poised to spring another surprise when he names his team on Tuesday for Saturday’s round five Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in Santiago (11pm).

A win for the Boks this coming weekend would secure them the competition trophy with a game in hand (against the same team in Mbombela on September 28) as they have 18 log points to Argentina’s 10. New Zealand (seven) and Australia (four) are out of the running.

The Boks flew out of South Africa late Saturday and Erasmus is expected to name his team on Tuesday with the likelihood of a few surprises in his matchday-23.

Only 28 players have travelled to Argentina, with seven key first-choice men staying behind to rest ahead of the Mbombela clash, so it will be interesting to see who starts for the Boks and who plays off the bench on Saturday.

But it seems Erasmus could also surprise with a few positional switches this weekend.

Options

“Camps are always valuable, especially if you are going to try players in different positions, and the guys definitely used the two days together as well as they could,” said the Bok coach on Saturday, referring to the time spent in camp in Stellenbosch ahead of the team’s trip to South America.

While there is not too much room for experimentation, there has been talk of Erasmus possibly opting for a 10, 12, 13 combination of Manie Libbok, Handre Pollard and Canan Moodie, but Lukhanyo Am has also not played much rugby of late and could also find himself at 12 or 13.

Moodie is also an option at fullback, while Jaden Hendrikse, who only recently returned to the team after a long injury layoff, is sure to start for the Boks.

Up front, could Jan-Hendrik Wessels get another run, at loosehead prop or possibly even hooker, and will Montpellier-based lock Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg get some game time?

Also, with six loose forwards in the squad, will captain Siya Kolisi, who’s played a lot of rugby of late, lead the team again or serve as a member of the background support on this occasion?

Whatever Erasmus decides, the Boks are set to go into the match with a power-packed bench.

The Boks are currently training in Buenos Aires until they fly to Santiago del Estero on Wednesday night. The match, at Estadio Unico Madre Ciudades, kicks off at 11pm (SA time) on Saturday.

Squad

Props: Thomas du Toit, Vincent Koch, Ox Nche, Gerhard Steenekamp
Hookers: Johan Grobbelaar, Malcolm Marx
Locks: Eben Etzebeth, Nicolaas Janse van Rensburg, Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortje
Loose forwards: Ben-Jason Dixon, Siya Kolisi, Elrigh Louw, Kwagga Smith, Marco van Staden, Jasper Wiese
Utility forward: Jan-Hendrik Wessels
Scrumhalves: Jaden Hendrikse, Cobus Reinach, Morne van den Berg
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok, Handre Pollard
Centres: Lukhanyo Am, Jesse Kriel
Outside backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse, Aphelele Fassi, Makazole Mapimpi
Utility back: Canan Moodie