Springbok depth: Is anyone’s place in World Cup squad secure?

It’s something that’s been discussed plenty this season and will be discussed plenty more. And with each passing day between now and the announcement of the Rugby World Cup squad, debates will rage and arguments will be had — and not just by the fans and those in the media, but at the highest level of Springbok rugby too.

The big question being: Who will go to France and who will miss out?

Already before the season-opening Test at Loftus on Saturday, the Boks’ depth was considered frightening; the fact the coaches could send a whole bunch of players to New Zealand early to prepare for this week’s match against the All Blacks, but still put out a team to face the Wallabies packed with World Cup winners and star performers.

And now, just one game into the season, the difficulty of picking a World Cup squad with all the talent available, and having to leave a bunch of genuinely classy players at home, is now laid bare.

Tough selections

It’s a great position for Bok bosses Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus to be in, but they’re going to have to weigh up so many things when they do make their final decision — and one’s got to wonder what will count more: experience or current form?

Do they go with Makazole Mapimpi and Cheslin Kolbe or Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie as their first-choice wingers, because they can’t all go to France?

Which three of the genuinely high-quality five scrumhalves in the group — Faf de Klerk, Herchel Jantjies, Cobus Reinach, Jaden Hendrikse and Grant Williams — do the Bok bosses pick?

Is there place for Andre Esterhuizen among the centres, and who of the loose-forwards do they back when all of them are on-form, fit and have experience — Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen, Jasper Wiese, Evan Roos, Deon Fourie, Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith and Franco Mostert, and then there’s still squad member Jean-Luc du Preez, who like Mostert, can double up as a lock?

And among the locks — Marvin Orie and Jean Kleyn were excellent against the Wallabies and RG Snyman, too, showed when he came on in last Saturday’s Test he is ready for the World Cup again, but what about Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager?

Pecking order?

In the build-up to the Loftus match, Wallabies boss Eddie Jones kind of suggested his side were up against a weakened Bok team, but I’m not so sure. In fact, the reality right now is that the Boks could push any 23 men into action from their current training group and no one would question the selection — in any position or department.

This is because the Boks have got so much depth in each position that there is not a first choice and a second choice player right now in each position and I’m sure Erasmus and Nienaber don’t even know themselves which is their strongest matchday-23 and who their best players are.

What I know – and they know it too – is that some very big, and hard, decisions are going to have to be made in a few weeks’ time when that final World Cup group is selected and named. And there are going to be some very disappointed players missing out on going to the World Cup.

Only a handful of players are probably secure of their spot in that squad; for the rest, between the match at Loftus last Saturday and the games coming up over the next few weeks in the Rugby Championship, everyone is going to be on trial — and may the best, in mind and body, come out on top.

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