Rassie reveals unspoken 'long-term plan' with new Springboks squad selection

Africa Melane speaks to Jan de Koning, Editor at Rugby365.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus named a strong squad of 39 players (and an additional 14 on a standby list) for the Castle Lager Incoming Series. It kicks off with back-to-back Tests against world-number-two Ireland on Saturday (6 July), followed by a one-off Test against Portugal.

The four uncapped players named in the squad were the Vodacom Bulls duo, hooker Johan Grobbelaar and front rower Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Phepsi Buthelezi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) and Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions). Cheslin Kolbe (wing) and Lukhanyo Am (centre) are back from injury.

Handre Pollard (flyhalf) and Jasper Wiese, who trained with the team but were ineligible for selection due to the Wales Test falling outside of the international window have also been named in the squad, although Wiese will only be available for selection once he completes his suspension from a dangerous tackle.

Erasmus also called up Rugby World Cup winners Siya Kolisi (the 2019 and 2023 Rugby World Cup-winning captain) and RG Snyman (lock), who both joined the squad in London following their club commitments, as well as Marco van Staden (flanker), Kurt-Lee Arendse (utility back) and Willie le Roux (fullback).

Three players who made their Test debuts against Wales at Twickenham on Saturday, which the team won 41-13 – Edwill van der Merwe (wing), Ben-Jason Dixon (utility forward) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (utility back) – were included in the group.

The coach’s standby list, in turn, includes six capped Springboks – Jean-Luc du Preez (loose forward), Joseph Dweba (hooker), Jordan Hendrikse (flyhalf), Elrigh Louw (No 8), Wilco Louw, Nuthuko Mchunu (both props), with six of the players - Neethling Fouche (prop), Mchunu, Andre-Hugo Venter (hooker), Hendrikse, Ethan Hooker (utility back) and Quan Horn (fullback).

These player selections left many fans puzzled but is it just a clever strategy from Rassie?

"From watching Rassie operate at the World Cup, he's got a plan and working towards a long-term future. There's a lot more new young players coming into the team and he's going to start grooming them and they'll be slotting in between World Champions."

- Jan de Koning, Editor - Rugby365

"But the bulk of the World Cup squad are all there and I can see a plan developing. Rassie will want to win against Ireland, he never goes into a Test not wanting to win, but he's also building for the future."

- Jan de Koning, Editor - Rugby365

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