logo
Rassie will ease off on Bok experiments in Rugby Championship

Rassie will ease off on Bok experiments in Rugby Championship

The Herald4 days ago
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said he would revert to a more settled squad for the Rugby Championship after completing the July series with a nine-try romp against Georgia at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
Erasmus said he was satisfied with the 55-10 result but attributed a stop-start performance to having rotated the squad throughout the four-match series (including the non-Test match against the Barbarians).
In the three matches since the opener against the invitational team in Cape Town, the Bok selectors made 10, 15 and 16 personnel changes in successive weeks.
'We're fairly happy if you look over the four games,' Erasmus said. 'We scored close to 50 points in each match and apart from the first Italy Test defended pretty well.
'Georgia were physical and disruptive but that's not an excuse for us making so many errors. But I guess we must understand that if we chop and change teams like we have as we're building squad depth, you'll lose rhythm.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Wallabies v British & Irish Lions 2.0: Kick off time
Wallabies v British & Irish Lions 2.0: Kick off time

The South African

time4 hours ago

  • The South African

Wallabies v British & Irish Lions 2.0: Kick off time

Although the Springboks won't be action again until mid-August, there is at least some other high-profile rugby entertainment to keep an eye on as the Wallabies tackle the British & Irish Lions in the second Test. Kick off is at 12:00 (SA time) in Melbourne this Saturday. The home team need a victory to keep the series alive, and they have welcomed back loose forward Rob Valetini, hooker David Porecki and lock Will Skelton to bolster the pack in hopes of reversing the opening Test 27-19 defeat in Brisbane. Meanwhile, for the Lions, tour captain Maro Itoje of Saracens and England's is partnered at lock by his fellow countryman and Leicester Tigers forward Ollie Chessum. In the front row its the Leinster Rugby and Ireland trio of Andrew Porter, Dan Sheehan and Tadhg Furlong. The back row sees Leinster and Ireland's Jack Conan at No.8, Munster and Ireland's Tadhg Beirne at blindside and Sale Sharks and England's Tom Curry at openside. Leinster and Ireland's Jamison Gibson-Park and Bath Rugby and Scotland's Finn Russell are named as the halfback pairing again. Connacht Rugby and Ireland's Bundee Aki is partnered with Glasgow Warriors and Scotland's Huw Jones in midfield, while the combination of Leinster and Ireland duo Hugo Keenan and James Lowe, and Northampton Saints and England's Tommy Freeman is unchanged from the first Test. Australia: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Max Jorgensen, 13 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 12 Len Ikitau, 11 Harry Potter, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Jake Gordon, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Will Skelton, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 David Porecki, 1 James Slipper. Replacements: 16 Billy Pollard, 17 Angus Bell, 18 Tom Robertson, 19 Jeremy Williams, 20 Langi Gleeson, 21 Carlo Tizzano, 22 Tate McDermott, 23 Ben Donaldson. British and Irish Lions: 15 Hugo Keenan, 14 Tommy Freeman, 13 Huw Jones, 12 Bundee Aki, 11 James Lowe, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Jamison Gibson-Park, 8 Jack Conan, 7 Tom Curry, 6 Tadhg Beirne, 5 Ollie Chessum, 4 Maro Itoje (captain), 3 Tadgh Furlong, 2 Dan Sheehan, 1 Andrew Porter. Replacements: 16 Ronan Kelleher, 17 Ellis Genge, 18 Will Stuart, 19 James Ryan, 20 Jac Morgan, 21 Alex Mitchell, 22 Owen Farrell, 23 Blair Kinghorn. Date: Saturday, 26 July Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Kick-off: 12:00 (SA time) Referee: Andrea Piardi (Italy) Assistant referees: Nika Amashukeli (Georgia), Ben O'Keeffe (New Zealand) TMO: Eric Gauzins (France) Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.

The Currie Cup is back in the spotlight
The Currie Cup is back in the spotlight

The Citizen

time5 hours ago

  • The Citizen

The Currie Cup is back in the spotlight

Could Boland spring a surprise in the opening weekend? Trevor Nyakane celebrates with the rest of the Sharks team, who won the Currie Cup in 2024. Picture: Christiaan Kotze/Gallo Images The 2025 edition of the Currie Cup kicks off on Friday with a full round of fixtures and eight teams in action, all chasing glory in a few months' time. With several Springbok players out of action because of their involvement with the Rugby Championship, which gets underway in the middle of next month, and other United Rugby Championship players still resting, there is an opportunity for a number of up-and-coming players to make their mark over the next few weeks. Also, a number of players who featured for the Junior Springboks in their U20 Championship-winning campaign in Italy will get a chance to show what they can do at a higher level. Who's favoured to win this weekend? Of course there will also be an opportunity for punters to get in on the action and each week Betway will give fans a chance to bank some bucks. In the competition opener on Friday night, the Pumas are favourites at 1.16 to beat Griquas, who're at 5.50 to cause an early upset. On Saturday, the Lions are hot favourites at 1.20 to beat the Sharks, who're at 4.50 to win in Joburg, while Western Province are 1.50 to beat the Bulls in the Cape, with the visitors at 2.60 to win. In the final game of the first round, Boland, who're back in the top flight of the competition, are 3.40 underdogs, at home, to beat the Cheetahs, who're at 1.33 to win, according to Betway. It promises to be an entertaining first round of action. These Betway odds correct at time of publishing and subject to change.

Rassie Erasmus plays it very safe with first Springbok Rugby Champs squad
Rassie Erasmus plays it very safe with first Springbok Rugby Champs squad

The Citizen

time5 hours ago

  • The Citizen

Rassie Erasmus plays it very safe with first Springbok Rugby Champs squad

There are no surprises in the Boks' squad for the two matches against Australia. The Springboks will next be in action against Australia when the Rugby Championship gets underway in a few weeks' time. Picture: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus sprung a bit of a surprise by playing it very safe with his first squad of probably three for their defence of their Rugby Championship title, with the competition kicking off next month. Erasmus has been known for his unpredictability over the past few years, but didn't make any big changes from the group that took part in the mid-year Tests, essentially just reducing his squad for the Rugby Champs. The big omissions from the squad are experienced scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and wing Makazole Mapimpi, with upcoming stars Morne van den Berg and Edwill van der Merwe backed with a strong look to the future. Morne van den Berg appears to now be a regular in the Bok set-up. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images Omissions As usual a premium has also been placed on utility value as Salmaan Moerat, who has captained the Boks a number of times over the last few years, has been left out along with Evan Roos, a specialist No 8. Cobus Wiese, who is primarily a four lock, but was backed at eighthman against Georgia and can cover seven and six, gets Erasmus' backing for the Rugby Champs. The only other players to drop out of the squad that was picked for the invitational Barbarians game and incoming series against Italy and Georgia, are Jasper Wiese, due to suspension, Thomas du Toit, due to resting protocols, Jean Kleyn, due to injury, and Neethling Fouche and Vincent Tshituka, who made their respective Bok debuts in the last month. Moerat, Roos, Fouche and Tshituka have all been released to their franchises and are available for the Currie Cup, though they have been included on the standby list along with De Klerk and Lukhanyo Am, who missed the mid-year Tests with a knee injury, and all can be called up at short notice if needed. Lukhanyo Am is on standby, after failing to get into the Bok squad this season. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images Junior Bok stars Where Erasmus has continued to think outside the box is bringing in young and inexperienced players who have recently shone, to give them a taste of Springbok rugby, and this time has included three Junior Bok stars Bathobele Hlekani, Cheswill Jooste and Haashim Pead in the training squad. All three were immense in the Junior Boks' World Rugby U20 Championship winning campaign, with scrumhalf Pead electrifying in scoring six tries, outside back Jooste brilliant in all round play, and utility forward Hlekani an absolute battering ram. All three will train with the Boks' senior squad for a week or two, before being released back to their franchises, and being available to play in the Currie Cup. Due to the injury absence of men such as props Gerhard Steenekamp and Ntuthuko Mchunu, Erasmus has retained rookie Boan Venter after a solid debut against Georgia and could be given a run at some stage against the Wallabies. The Boks are off this week, but return to training from Sunday. The Boks' first match in the Rugby Championship, against Australia, is on 16 August.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store