It's going to be a demanding few weeks for the Boks and All Blacks ... and injuries will happen.
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus plans to use all the resources at his disposal during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series. Picture: David Rogers/Getty Images
The Springboks will manage player load carefully during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Series, with coach Rassie Erasmus saying less-experienced players would be called on to support the older group.
The back-to-back four Tests between the Springboks and the All Blacks come right after a one-off Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
New Zealand also play against the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls and Lions in mid-week games between those Springbok Tests, starting with the Stormers in Cape Town on Friday.
They brought an experienced 44-player squad to South Africa, comprising just three uncapped players, to manage that immense load.
Erasmus spoke of how the gruelling series could be likened to a Rugby World Cup pool phase, which, played over the course of a month, could take its toll on departments already beset with injuries.
‘It’s massive’
That includes the lock position, where Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager are among five players returning from injury against Argentina, and may be rusty, while RG Snyman, Franco Mostert, Jean Kleyn, Ruan Venter and Salmaan Moerat are still out.
Erasmus said the eight players in the team to face Argentina with fewer than 10 caps did not need to try too hard to earn a place in the Greatest Rivalry squad.
“We all believe they will be in the Greatest Rivalry squad,” the Springbok coach said on Tuesday.
They might not be in the first Test, they might play 50 minutes in the first Test. It depends if Lood comes through [unscathed], when Franco comes back, if Eben finds form…
“But New Zealand has a seven-week tour… it’s massive.
“They are playing four mid-week matches as well. So you can think of a first pool game in a World Cup to the last, which is normally only three games.
“Now we’re playing four plus the Argentina one.”
Springboks to use their full depth
Erasmus said if there were injuries or they didn’t utilise their depth well, then when it was all done and dusted, the Springboks would be asking themselves if anyone was left standing to play against the Wallabies in a one-off Test late September.
“I really believe it will be tougher than a World Cup pool. And normally after a World Cup pool, you struggle to find enough locks, enough loose forwards, enough flyhalves.
“You don’t go to a World Cup without having two or three [additional] flyhalves on the radar.”
