Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus says they expect to have used 36 players by the end of the fourth Test against the All Blacks in the USA.
Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard and fullback Damian Willemse, who have both been ruled out of the third All Blacks Test due to injury, are both expected to play in the fourth Test in Baltimore. Picture: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
The Springboks are set to ring the changes for the final Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test against the All Blacks in Baltimore, USA, regardless of the result of the third Test at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday.
Over the first two Tests the Boks have used 30 players, with seven changes made to the match 23s that played in their loss at Ellis Park and win at the Cape Town Stadium last weekend.
But only one injury enforced change has been made to the match 23 for this coming weekend’s match, with Damian Willemse ruled out, Cheslin Kolbe switched to fullback, and Kurt-Lee Arendse, who played in the first Test, back on the wing.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus explained that they had already used a fair number of players and expected to use more by the end the series.
“In the first two games we’ve used 30 players, so it’s already a lot of guys that have chopped and changed. And I guess by the time we get to the last game, we would have used 36, and that’s almost our whole squad,” said Erasmus.
Unused players
Meanwhile, the Boks won’t be taking their full squad to Baltimore in the USA for the fourth Test and plan to use a further six men there who haven’t had any game time yet in this series.
Handré Pollard, who was named in the team for the second Test before picking up a calf injury that ruled him out last weekend and for this Saturday’s game, will get a go in Baltimore, as will Canan Moodie, who has been battling a hamstring strain, while Willemse and Grant Williams are expected to recover from injuries to also play the fourth Test.
“Damian suffered a grade one hamstring (strain) and we believe he will be ready and on the plane to Baltimore on Sunday. Handré, Grant and Canan will also be on the plane,” said Erasmus.
Erasmus further said that the Boks are looking forward to playing the final Test in the USA, which will be a new experience for many of the players in the group.
“Playing the last match in Baltimore, one can see it as a negative. But I hear it is sold out already. It is a new experience for us. I know they (the All Blacks) have played there a few times, not at that specific stadium, but in the US against Ireland,” said Erasmus.
“So we are looking forward to the fourth Test as well.”
