Springboks backing their bruisers to make big impact off bench against Ireland

The Springboks are backing their big men on the bench to make a huge impact when they come on in the second half of their much-anticipated encounter against Ireland at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

It is a meeting between the top two ranked teams in world rugby, the double world champion Boks and double Six Nations champs Ireland, and an explosive clash is expected.

The Boks have named a six-two split of forwards to backs on their bench, although coach Rassie Erasmus hinted that he might make it a seven-one split later in the week.

Of his six forwards Erasmus has gone with three front rankers, two locks and a loose forward, with him explaining the importance of the tight five, while he is also happy with the utility value of flank Marco van Staden.

“I think Marco brings impact in all of the areas. In carrying the ball, in defence, in slowing ball down, in mauling and in scrumming. He is definitely somebody you have on the bench who comes on and can sort out any department that might not be firing as much as we would want during the game,” explained Erasmus.

“So he is an allrounder. But he is also a great poacher of the ball and hopefully he can get us a few. But the Irish have tremendous loose forwards.

“RG (Snyman) always brings a lot of energy off the bench. Salmaan (Moerat) has been really unlucky injury wise (over the years). At crucial stages just before tournaments he has picked up some bad injuries.

“But he is really showing his willingness and his physicality in training and games. So in that sense it is nice for the front row to have two fresh locks behind them at some stage of the game.”

Steenekamp over Du Toit

Erasmus also explained the decision to pick one-cap Bok Gerhard Steenekamp, over the in form and more experienced Thomas du Toit, who has enjoyed a superb season for Bath in England.

“That (Du Toit not being in the frame for selection) was unfortunately down to logistics. We are definitely trying some new things and if one or two guys in the team don’t know all the little things we are trying to do, it could swing momentum in the game,” said Erasmus.

“A guy like Cobus Reinach has only had two training sessions with us because of when Montpellier released him. Thomas is another that joined us very late.

“He wasn’t available (to train), like Handre Pollard who was able to join us after Leicester Tigers dropped out (of the English Premiership title race). He has trained with us for three weeks, this is his fourth, so it was easy for us to slot him straight in.

“But we are happy to have Thomas, and we are happy to have Trevor (Nyakane) in the group. Ntuks (Nthuthuku Mchunu) had a really good 10 minutes (off the bench against Wales) and it was really tough to leave him out of the group.”