Erasmus breaks the mold again as backline ace shifts into forward role
Rassie Erasmus added another tactical twist on Saturday, deploying centre André Esterhuizen as a loose forward against the Barbarians.
Supporters have grown used to Kwagga Smith acting as a winger-forward hybrid due to his sevens background and explosive mobility.
Erasmus reversed the formula this time, using a backline player – Esterhuizen – to fill in as a flanker during the second half.
The Sharks star replaced Marco van Staden in the 44th minute and immediately made an impression in the physical exchanges.
Although Esterhuizen still floated into the midfield occasionally, his presence in the forward pack added fresh physicality and dynamism.
After the match, Erasmus confirmed the move had been in development for several months as part of long-term planning.
'When we do a 6-2 split, we usually have Kwagga cover wing, but this time we flipped the concept,' Erasmus said. 'Now we're letting a backline player cover flanker, and André fits that role because he's trained with both units recently.'
Erasmus praised assistant coach Felix Jones for managing Esterhuizen's training load effectively across both backs and forwards.
'We started talking to André five months ago about this idea,' Erasmus said. 'We wanted him comfortable in both roles.'
'You can call him a hybrid player – but he is a backline player who can also play in the forwards now. He has been training with both the forwards and the backs, and I must say Felix handles his load very well in how much he does with the forwards and how much he does with the backs.
Esterhuizen was enthusiastic about the opportunity and eager to continue contributing in this new hybrid capacity moving forward.
'I enjoyed it a lot,' he said. 'I trained at flank this week and really liked the challenge—it adds to my game.'
He emphasised that this type of versatility benefits both individual players and the Springbok squad's depth and adaptability.
'At my age, it's important to stay useful,' said Esterhuizen. 'This gives me a better chance to stay in the mix.'
The idea isn't new in Springbok strategy, having worked successfully during the two previously World Cup campaigns.
As always with Erasmus, innovation remains central to South Africa's evolving identity as the world champions refine their winning formula.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT RASSIE ERASMUS' LATEST PIECE OF INNOVATION?
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