Rassie explains Bok selection decisions that have raised eyebrows

Never afraid to make big calls that raise eyebrows, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has explained why he moved captain Siya Kolisi to number eight for the opening Test of the Rugby Championship match against Australia at Ellis Park on Saturday. 

With Kolisi — whose usual position is at six — at number eight, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden are the two flankers, and Erasmus has gone with the combination of Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth at lock. 

This will be the first time in Test rugby Kolisi plays at number eight and Erasmus is confident he will be full value as they look to start the campaign on a winning note. 

“We actually changed our minds there. The more we practised and prepared for this Test match, [the more] we realised the only time a guy really plays at eight is [in] the scrums, and scrums probably happens 13 or 14 times in a game. 

“But general play is probably the thing that happens the most, and having guys like Pieter-Steph du Toit, Marco van Staden and Siya on the field at the same time is good, because Australia are a big threat at the breakdown. 

“They bite hard at the breakdown and those three guys can clean out and we are going to need that. Siya is going to pack scrums and sometimes he might play flank and Marco at eight. 

“[Forwards] coach Daan [Human] is happy with the way he [has] us scrumming, but apart from that they will [be] crucial in general play. I said it a couple of weeks ago that Siya is a six and not an eight, but we came to the conclusion that it won’t happen so much in the game where we need him there.” 

Erasmus also backed Manie Libbok ahead of Handrè Pollard and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, and explained why he didn’t pick a specialist flyhalf on the bench. 

“Sasha and Handrè will probably play in Cape Town [next weekend] to spread the load. Not having a flyhalf on the bench, you know that Damian [Willemse] can play that position for us.  

“The only time we really we swap flyhalves is if he is having an off day or missing kicks, but Manie has been slotting them really well. I think the new rhino ball must be making the difference because he is doing well. 

“We felt we had to have cover at position 13 and with Damian de Allende having a niggle and only expected to be ready next week, we went with Canan [Moodie] on the bench. 

“It was between Sasha and Handrè or Canan and because we don’t have an out-and-out cover at 13, we do have a Damian [Willemse] as cover for [number] 10.” 

Erasmus also explained why he announced the squad on Monday. 

“It is because we have been preparing for three weeks for Australia and that doesn’t normally happen. What usually happens is after the incoming series, the next Test match is a little bit closer. 

“Why we are announcing the squad on Monday is to get the speculation out of the way, and also for players to know who is playing so that we can focus on training well,” he said, adding there may be changes. 

“If you look at the balance of their squad, they brought a lot of forwards on tour and we might change on Friday and bring RG [Snyman] back in the mix if they go with a six/two split on the bench. If they stay with five/three, which is pretty much their team, that will be it.”