Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitshoff look on during a Springboks training session at Porirua Park on July 23, 2019 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images)
Given the settled look of the Springbok team that will face Japan in a final World Cup tune-up in Kumagaya on Friday, about the only really interesting debate is the slightly eye-catching front row Rassie Erasmus has assembled.
In all honesty, Steven Kitshoff, Malcolm Marx and Frans Malherbe haven’t played the world on fire in the 2019 international season, a situation seized upon by Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi and Beast Mtawarira.
The latter trio stole the show as replacements in the epic draw against the All Blacks in Wellington and then hammered the traditionally strong Argentinian scrum.
One gets the feeling then that national coach Erasmus has two streams of thought in this regard.
Either he’s cultivating a squad dynamic where he can have two interchangeable front rows, who can both start or make an impact later.
Or he’s laid down the marker for Kitshoff and co: if you don’t fire, you’re not starting the World Cup opener against New Zealand.
Erasmus will probably publicly insists its the first scenario.
The reality might be a bit different.
While Erasmus previously stated that the strong team he’s selected has always been part of the planning as he needs his first-choice combination match fit for the All Blacks, it’s also an indication that Japan are not to be trifled with.
A certain 32-34 loss in Brighton in 2015 makes that feeling understandable.
“I hope this selection will send a strong message that we have the utmost respect for Japan,” said Erasmus.
“Perhaps we made the mistake of complacency against them in the past but we’ve been hammering the message all week that we should never do that again against Japan.
“They’re a smart team of great athletes, playing at home, having won a title won in the past month and now desperate to prove something. This Test is as big a challenge as any we’ve had this season.”
Japan are currently ranked a historic ninth in the world rankings.
Springboks: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk, Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff. Bench: Bongi Mbonambi, Beast Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, RG Snyman, Francois Louw, Herschel Jantjies, Frans Steyn, Jesse Kriel.
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