Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has explained his decision to select just five forwards on the bench for Saturday’s Rugby Championship match against the All Blacks at Eden Park.
The Boks have relied heavily on their famed Bomb Squad against New Zealand in recent years, opting for a 7-1 split in both the 2023 World Cup warm-up Test at Twickenham and the tournament final in Paris. In last season’s Rugby Championship, they went 6-2 at Ellis Park before reverting to a traditional 5-3 in Cape Town. All four matches were won by the world champions.
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For their first Test at Eden Park since 2013, Erasmus has again opted for a 5-3 split, with Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Boan Venter, Wilco Louw, Lood de Jager and Kwagga Smith covering the forwards, while Cobus Reinach, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Ethan Hooker provide backline options.
“We actually decided last week after analysing them that playing here, a 5-3 bench would probably be the best,” said Erasmus on Thursday. “New Zealand’s natural way is making it loose, making it fast, and that’s why we went with a 5-3 bench split. That’s why we have young Ethan and Sacha on the bench, and I guess it’s the same with them.
“I don’t really know if the game’s going to open up, of course. The World Cup final, as always in a must-win, the games get a little more tense, and more brutal and a bit more physical. But once they open you up, you struggle to contain them. So I guess that’s what they’re going to try and do, and we’re probably going to try and make it a bit of a squeeze.”
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The Bok boss also explained his decision to start Willie le Roux at fullback ahead of Aphelele Fassi and Damian Willemse.
“Fassi has had a few starts now this year and Damian Willemse knows what he must work on as a 28-year-old, double World Cup winner. We know that we have him as a banker there; we know when we are going to unleash him.
“We just think with Willie here, who is really helping Canan [Moodie], who even though he didn’t have a great game last week, we are still backing him. Having a calmer head at the back with Willie helps a lot.”
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Photo: Phil Walter/Getty Images
