OPINION: Is there still space for ‘outsiders’ in Rassie’s Bok squad?

Now that the 2024 Springbok season is over, you can be sure several players who didn’t feature regularly for the Boks this season, as well as a number of rising stars in the game, will already be thinking of the next six months and what they need to do to break into Rassie Erasmus’ squad.

The big question though is: Is there still place in the current Bok set-up for more players?

Erasmus used 51 players in 13 Tests this season, with 12 men making their debuts in 2024. It is a lot of players and the depth Erasmus has built is impressive, so one’s got to wonder how anyone who didn’t feature this year will break into the squad and stay there?

There are now at least two or three players lined up for each position in the Bok team and those players who only got to play a handful of Tests this season will probably be backed again next season, as Erasmus continues to develop his squad and grow the depth and experience of those players.

Tests against Georgia and Italy

In this category are the likes of Andre-Hugo Venter, Ruan Venter, Edwill van der Merwe, Quan Horn, Ben-Jason Dixon, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Phepsi Buthulezi, Morne van den Berg and Salmaan Moerat, as well as men such as Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Cameron Hanekom.

After all, the Boks are scheduled to take on Italy and Georgia in June and July next year and you can bank on it that the backup boys will run out for the Boks in those Tests, with the first-choice men held back for the Rugby Championship.

Because, by limiting the number of Tests the older Boks play, Erasmus will also lengthen the playing careers of those men who’re keen to feature at a third and fourth World Cup tournament in 2027, and there are many in the Bok squad in this select group, like Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel and many others.

Uncapped rising stars

But will Erasmus consider new Bok “outsiders” in 2025?

I think he will, because he’s always looking at strengthening his squad and if someone performs really well, he’d be silly to not pick them — especially with a number of senior Bok players pushing the limits of still being at their best in their positions in 2027.

It will be interesting to see who of the next generation who haven’t yet featured for the Boks steps forward in the next few months.

Here one thinks of Henco van Wyk, Sanele Nohamba, Dan du Plessis, Neethling Fouche, Ethan Hooker, Asenathi Ntlabakanye and others who’ll no doubt want to stick up their hands in the coming months.

Next year’s international Test season, just two years out from the next Rugby World Cup, is already shaping up to be an interesting one.