Head coach Rassie Erasmus mentioned a number of players by name who could get a crack in the coming months.
Veteran Springbok scrumhalf Faf de Klerk could get a nod sometime this year even though he missed the initial Nations Championship squad. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus said his squad for the Nations Championship will change as the weeks go by, with players expected to come and go regularly.
His 46-man squad was announced on the weekend, with several fringe players and injured stars omitted despite being expected to feature in at least one match during the lengthy tournament.
However, Erasmus clarified on Tuesday that the side was not set in stone.
‘The squad will definitely rotate a lot’
Other players would join up after the Championship opener against England at Ellis Park next Saturday, perhaps for the Scotland and Wales matches over the following weeks, but “definitely” for one-off Tests against Argentina and Australia and Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry’s four Tests against New Zealand, in August and September.
“After our first game, we might send a few guys back to rest and draft a few other guys in,” Erasmus said.
“Then after [Scotland and Wales] there are massive matches: Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, where the squad will definitely rotate a lot.
“There are another 15 to 17 guys who are either injured, or we are resting them a little bit, or we think they will be more suited to play against Scotland, Argentina or New Zealand.”
Springbok scrumhalf situation
Players such as Haashim Pead and Faf de Klerk played well on the weekend amid a shortage at scrumhalf, scoring tries for the SA A against Zimbabwe and for the Boks against the Barbarians, respectively.
They missed out on selection to Embrose Papier, Herschel Jantjies, Cobus Reinach and Grant Williams.
Besides that pair, Erasmus said Vincent Koch, Trevor Nyakane, Bongi Mbonambi, Franco Mostert, Juarno Augustus, Jordan Hendrikse, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Ethan Hooker and Sebastian de Klerk were all expected to get some game time after their injuries or rest in the coming months.
The Springbok coach said he liked to pick four scrumhalves in any squad, with at least one being very experienced.
“We’ve always rated Herschel. We know what Faf can do now, we’ve trained with him. We know what Cobus can do.
“But now we want to look at Herschel. We are working towards the World Cup [next year] and want to make sure we have looked at everybody before then.”
