Siya Kolisi a possible No 8 bolter for the Boks in the absence of Jasper Wiese

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi could become an eighthman bolter for the team, if Jasper Wiese receives a stiff ban, as expected, after his red card for foul play over the past weekend against Italy in Gqeberha.

Bok coach Rassie Erasmus last week said that he hoped Kolisi would finally make his way back from a number of injury niggles that have kept him out of their opening three games, in time for their clash against Georgia in Mbombela on Saturday.

It is the Boks’ final game of the incoming series and last chance for players to get a run ahead of the Rugby Championship which kicks off next month, so a team featuring a slew of inexperienced players, as well as a couple of old heads, is expected to be named on Tuesday afternoon.

If Kolisi is passed fit he will likely start, but whether it will be in his regular No 6 jersey, or at the back of the scrum, where he featured a number of times for the Sharks over the past URC season, remains to be seen.

When asked whether he saw Kolisi as an eighthman option before the season started, Erasmus said that he preferred him at flank, but with Wiese possibly out for a number of Rugby Championship games, it could force the Bok mentor’s hand.

At Monday’s press conference in Mbombela, Springbok assistant coach Deon Davids was quizzed on the possibility of Kolisi featuring at No 8, and he admitted that he is an option, but that they also have a few other players who could slot in.

Versatile options

“We have versatile players in our squad, like Siya, who has played No 6 primarily for us, but also at No 8 for the Sharks,” said Davids.

“We also have guys like Evan Roos and Marco van Staden who have played in that position. There are different players that we can look at that we feel will have the ability to fill that position.

“It will depend on the mix-up of the loose trio and the mix-up of the pack, and that will determine where our selection will go.”

Davids also echoed the sentiments of Erasmus after the Italian match, in backing Wiese, and said that the team would look to support him in whatever capacity they could no matter what the outcome of his DC is.

“For us, it is unfortunate that Jasper got on the wrong side of the law. We are a physical team. We try to do things with as much intent as possible. That is part of our DNA,” explained Davids.

“We support Jasper in whatever decision it will be, and we trust the disciplinary hearing committee’s judgment on the issue. We work very hard as a team on staying on the right side of the law. That is why we have Jaco Peyper here to make sure we coach and train within the law.

“There is a good awareness from the players on understanding the risk from a technical point of view to execute what they need to do. World Rugby has laid out the procedure that they will follow and we trust the decision and the approaches.”