Malherbe stepped aside so Koch could start 50th Test against Wales

Springbok stalwart Frans Malherbe insisted that Vincent Koch should start ahead of him, in his landmark 50^th game for the Springboks against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday afternoon.

The Stormers star was initially selected to start the game ahead of Sharks star Koch, before it was mentioned he would be making the milestone appearance, after which Malherbe immediately said he would step aside and play off the bench.

Koch has been extremely unlucky to have been playing at the same time as Malherbe, as he would be a nailed-on starter for most international teams and Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus readily admits that there is not much difference between the two.

Similar players

“We announced the team with Frans at tighthead. Five minutes later one of the players came to me and said it was Vincent’s 50th game. When Franna heard that, he said: ‘No ways,’” explained Erasmus.

“He (Koch) is a guy that works so hard and gets so few chances to start. The two players are so similar. He also plays with guys that he knows. He and Malcolm (Marx) normally go on together. So it is now a combination, but it wouldn’t have been a combination if it wasn’t for his 50th.

“That is how much it means to the players. We don’t want a player to come off the bench when it is his 50th game. Especially when there is very little to choose between him and Frans.”

Second time

This isn’t the first time the Bok coaching staff have been surprised by a player reaching a milestone, with Erasmus fondly recalling Franco Mostert’s 50^th cap for the Boks against Scotland in 2021.

“It’s funny. We’ve (now) made this mistake twice. We picked Lood de Jager and someone whispered in my ear the Thursday before the game that it was Franco Mostert’s 50th game,” said Erasmus.

“I thought, ‘My goodness, he is going to play off the bench’. I went to Lood and said: ‘I made a mistake, I think Franco should start, it’s his 50th game’. Lood said he didn’t mind. However, I thought I’d let Lood start anyway.

“When we got to the huddle, Lood said he wanted to say something. He told the players it was Franco’s 50th game and he wanted Franco to start and he will play off the bench. So Lood just announced it.”