Salmaan Moerat is back in the Springbok playing mix and will hope to make a big impact against Italy in the absence of Eben Etzebeth.
Salmaan Moerat runs onto the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium pitch as captain of the Springboks during their incoming tour match against Italy in Gqeberha last year. Picture: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus firmly stood behind the much-maligned Salmaan Moerat, with the big lock set to make his Bok return in their Nations Championship match against Italy in Turin on Saturday.
Moerat has been a polarising player over the years, with many Bok fans and pundits questioning his credentials, but he has always had the full backing of the coaching staff at the Boks and his former franchise the Stormers.
Much like Willie le Roux before him, who also had a heavily criticised career, but became a Springbok centurion, Moerat will hope to prove his doubters wrong on the playing pitch.
Moerat has already captained the Boks on a number of occasions and last played for them against Italy in Gqeberha last year, with various injuries having largely kept him out of the mix since. He will now hope to make a big impact in the absence of Bok record cap holder Eben Etzebeth.
Return to action
Moerat returned to playing action for his new franchise La Rochelle off the bench in their Champions Cup match against the Lions a few weeks ago, and has since started two top 14 games, so is back to full fitness.
Erasmus stated on Monday when he named his team for the match against Italy that he was happy to have him back, despite the criticism around his selection.
“I’m not going to say, like other countries, that we don’t get caught up in social media. I listen to social media,” said Erasmus at the Boks’ team announcement.
“I like South Africans who have opinions about things, and I’ve certainly seen it when Willie (le Roux) got slaughtered, and when Faf (de Klerk) was taken out, and then times when a guy made it against the odds.
“But I’ve never really listened to people who talk nonsense about Salmaan, because he’s not the kind of guy you see doing the flashy work on the field, and we don’t expect him to. We expect him to do what he always does for us.
“He’s been our captain four or five times and I think he’s won every single time. We need a grinder, like a Jean Kleyn, like an RG Snyman, although I think he’s a bit flashy as well, but it’s something we need in the team, and Salmaan brings it to us.”
Dobson backing
Just a few weeks ago Moerat’s former coach John Dobson said how important a player he had been for the Stormers and admitted his dismay that he had to leave the country to continue his franchise career in France just to leave all the noise behind him for a while.
And Erasmus backed that up by explaining all the positive things he helps the team with, which is usually the unseen hard graft that often goes unnoticed.
“Nobody probably understands how hard he scrums, how hard he mauls, how hard he cleans the ruck, how physical he is doing it, and how he stops mauls. You can never really explain that to people, but we’re not upset that people don’t see it,” said Erasmus.
“As long as Salmaan knows, and his teammates know, that we see it and that we value it. He’s the kind of guy we enjoy having in our team.
“When it comes to things people don’t understand or don’t see fully, I can understand why they have their opinions, but obviously we have our own opinion about someone.”
The Boks’ match against Italy kicks off at 1.40pm Saturday.
