Although the Springboks’ player selections can seem chaotic—especially when backs replace forwards due to injuries—assistant coach Deon Davids emphasized that there’s a well-thought-out strategy behind these decisions.
During last year’s successful Rugby World Cup in France, flyhalf Handre Pollard stepped in for injured hooker Malcolm Marx, which raised some eyebrows. At that point, Bongi Mbonambi was the only recognized hooker, while flanks Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden served as backup.
Pollard proved instrumental, scoring crucial late penalties in the quarter-final and semi-final, and maintaining a perfect kicking record in the final, which ended in a narrow victory over the All Blacks. Fourie also displayed remarkable resilience, playing 77 minutes with a shoulder injury after Mbonambi went down.
As the Springboks prepare for their November tour with matches against Scotland, England, and Wales, coach Rassie Erasmus has again opted for a flyhalf in place of a front-row forward, bringing in Jordan Hendrikse to replace the injured tighthead prop Frans Malherbe. Earlier, before Malherbe’s injury, utility back Damian Willemse was replaced by Bulls loose forward Cameron Hannekom instead of calling up a player like Hendrikse.
This selection process can confuse fans, but Davids reassured everyone that the coaching staff is on the same page. He highlighted Pollard’s World Cup experience as a prime example of their strategic approach.
“There’s clear communication between the head coach and selectors regarding our plans and objectives. Part of our strategy involves building depth and experience leading up to the World Cup,” Davids explained after a week of training in Jersey, UK. “We assess the overall squad, considering experience and what we aim to achieve. While we might not always replace a prop with another prop, there’s a larger strategy at play.”
From a player’s perspective, England-based prop Thomas du Toit expressed confidence in the coaching staff’s decisions when integrating new players. With Malherbe injured, du Toit is now in contention for the tighthead position alongside Vincent Koch, with Wilco Louw also in the mix after Jan-Hendrik Wessels was sidelined.
“We trust the system and the coaches’ decision-making process,” du Toit noted. “We aim to welcome new players and get them up to speed quickly, as we trust the coaches, and they trust us to integrate newcomers effectively.”
The Springboks will kick off their tour against Scotland next Sunday, followed by matches against England and Wales.
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