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IOL News
a minute ago
- Sport
- IOL News
What tough choices await Rassie Erasmus, Springboks before the 2027 Rugby World Cup?
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus is trying to juggle the old and the new ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia. Image: Backpagepix Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus knows he is heading towards a point in the journey to the 2027 Rugby World Cup where he will have to make some big calls as far as some of his senior stars are concerned. It's been clear since the end of the triumphant 2023 Rugby World Cup in France that some of the players who won back-to-back Webb-Ellis trophies with Erasmus may not make it to Australia in two years' time. Some of the stalwarts of the South African game are close to the rugby twilight. Over the last 18 months Erasmus has had bloated Bok squads and has handed almost 20 players their debuts during that time. This year, for the home Tests against Italy and Georgia, the Boks operated with a squad of almost 50 players, with different players getting a taste of Test rugby. There has also been heavy rotation, with many of the senior players hardly playing full games. All of this is designed to manage workloads, but also expose more rookies to build capacity when those big decisions need to be made. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading Erasmus says he is enjoying the talk and speculation around his squad's age ahead of the 2025 rugby showpiece event. It tells him people are still interested in the Boks winning doing an unprecedented 'three-peat'. However, he admits that he isn't '100 percent sure' how they are actually going to decide who makes the trip and who won't be traveling Down Under in two years' time. 'It hasn't actually happened before in South African rugby that people and the media talk about the squad's age ahead of a World Cup. And that's something that is good, because it shows that people are interested,' Erasmus told the media this week during their Rugby Championship camp. 'But for us, it's about performance, trying to calculate which guys will be there in 2027. That's why we had a camp of 45. 'Of course, we're not 100 percent sure yet. Some guys, we feel iffy. Some guys can definitely make it. Other guys are just freaks who can play like Johnny Sexton until they're 38, but you don't get a lot of those. '(For the youngsters), it's about making sure that you get some Test caps into guys, some experience of them understanding our coaching staff, understanding how our environment works, getting into hopefully most of the guys 10 plus Test caps before we go to that Rugby World Cup. At the start of the season, when the Boks got together for the first time, they went through vigorous fitness testing, which players such as Cheslin Kolbe described as the toughest thing they have ever experienced in a Bok camp. Erasmus explained that this was designed to check where the players are at in terms of their fitness and performance levels. But it's clever that it's also a marker about where they need to be physically to continue playing for the Boks when competing with the youngsters. Erasmus, however, knows this core group of senior players inside out and will always give them the best chance to prove themselves worthy of another World Cup hunt. 'Obviously we just don't want to filter an experienced player out just because he's not going to play in 2027,' Erasmus said. 'You know, it will be very unfair on a senior player or older player, or more experienced player, because his Test match career can last until November 2026 and then he's done. Players don't plan their rugby lives around World Cups. They plan their rugby lives around their age and how well they can play. 'So if they are still the top one to three in their positions up until 2026, we'll probably play those guys. 'We are making plans like we have now, having bigger groups and making sure the younger guys coming through are quite comfortable and up to speed and confident playing the Springbok jersey. So I think we're okay.'
The Citizen
3 hours ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Rassie: U20 stars won't play for Springboks this year
Three U20 players joined the Springbok training camp while players like Lukhanyo Am, Faf de Klerk, Makazole Mapimpi, and others were left out. None of the three World Rugby U20 Championship winners included in the current Springbok training camp will play for the senior side this year. Bok head coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed this after the inclusion of Bathobele Hlekani (loose forward), Cheswill Jooste (winger), and Haashim Pead (scrumhalf) at the cost of several experienced players raised eyebrows. The trio joined 37 Test-capped players for the two-week training camp in Johannesburg ahead of South Africa's Rugby Championship openers against Australia on 16 and 23 August. The three players shone for South Africa during their U20 Championship win in Italy. However, Boks Lukhanyo Am, Faf de Klerk, Makazole Mapimpi, Salmaan Moerat, Evan Roos, Neethling Fouche and Vincent Tshituka were named as standby players for the squad, and missed the camp altogether as Erasmus cut his squad down to size. Other Springboks also missed out, being sent back to their franchises to train there. Experiencing the Bok environment When asked about this decision, Erasmus reiterated his goal of building a player base at least three positions deep, while getting youth involved. He said they were looking at all 'possibilities of players' ahead of the 2027 World Cup in Australia. 'We definitely don't see those guys playing Test matches this year,' he explained. 'But getting them used to the environment here and wherever they go, their franchises or clubs, if still U20 as one will still be next season. 'It's for us to understand, like we did for Ntokozo [Makhaza], how quickly guys can make the step-up and settle into the whole environment, the energy they bring. The three of them know 100% well that there is no chance, apart from if they really knock down the door and blow us away in training sessions.' Springbok coaches aren't using kid gloves On that note, Erasmus said he and his assistant coaches were not going easy on the youngsters. The trio have been included in all field and study room sessions, getting the full Springbok training experience. 'It's not like we keep them out of certain things, for them to just sit and listen and learn. It's for them to take part and to make sure the older guys know this is who is coming through. 'So yes, they are fitting in well and I think they are enjoying it and they are keeping up. They are really keeping up with the other guys, so that is great.'
The South African
4 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
Rassie Erasmus reveals big change to Springbok plans
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus and his management are renowned for their meticulous and carefully-considered planning for each and every part of the season. With the start of the Rugby Championship now just over two weeks away, Erasmus has interestingly revealed he called the team into camp earlier than was initially planned, perhaps indicating that he was not entirely satisfied with what took place during the July internationals. Erasmus admitted that this week's training camp was not originally part of their schedule, but he said it would benefit the team on several fronts. 'These two weeks of camp will give us time to align as coaches, as well as on the conditioning aspects for the players and to take stock from a medical perspective, so it's important in assisting us to get to where we want to be against three good countries in the series.' The Springboks are currently on a four-match winning run so far this season following victories against the Barbarians and an Incoming Series clean-sweep against Italy and Georgia. 'We would have eight weeks of proper preparation before we take the field in the Rugby Championship, and we are pleased with the physicality that Italy and Georgia brought against us in the last few weeks,' Erasmus did clarify. 'We have another three weeks to prepare for the matches against Australia, so we'll be working hard on the training field in the next few weeks.' The Bok coach added: 'We always knew that our first few matches would not be as tough as the Rugby Championship, even though the opposition was competitive and physical, but we are now going up against teams with solid game plans and a different intensity. 'Australia would have also come off the British & Irish Lions Series by the time we face them, so it will be a challenging tournament.' Rugby Championship fixtures: 16 August: SA v Australia – Ellis Park, Johannesburg (17:10) 23 August: SA v Australia – DHL Stadium, Cape Town (17:10) 6 September: New Zealand v SA – Eden Park, Auckland (09:05) 13 September: New Zealand v SA – Sky Stadium, Wellington (09:05) 27 September: SA v Argentina – Kings Park, Durban (17:10) 4 October: Argentina v SA – Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, London (15:00) 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 Citizen
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
Springboks are not less prepared than Australia after Italy, Georgia Tests — Rassie
The Springbok coach said Australia may face tough Lions opponents, but his players train against fellow World Cup winners. Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has defended the preparedness of his charges ahead of the Rugby Championship despite facing weaker opposition than Australia in the build-up. The Springboks play their first two matches of the tournament against the Wallabies, first in Joburg on 16 August and then in Cape Town on 23 August. Speaking to the media during their two-week training camp in Johannesburg, Erasmus said the camp had been extended due to concerns among the coaches. They felt players weren't getting focused training before and during their season openers. He said cutting the squad from his initial 55 at the beginning of the season down to 37 will allow the coaches to give players more one-on-one attention.
The Herald
7 hours ago
- Sport
- The Herald
Boks gearing up for testing Rugby Championship
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said on Tuesday the team were anticipating a testing Castle Lager Rugby Championship campaign, which kicks off against the Wallabies in Johannesburg on August 16. He also stressed the importance of their two-week training camp, saying it was vital in ensuring that the coaches, players and entire management team were aligned and prepared for the competition. The Springboks won the prestigious tournament in 2024 for the first time since 2019 in an impressive campaign in which they suffered only one defeat. This was against Argentina by a single point in Santiago del Estero and Erasmus's charges will go full out to defend their title and retain the Freedom Cup (against New Zealand) and Nelson Mandela Challenge Plate (against Australia) in 2025. The Boks will begin their campaign with back-to-back Tests against the Wallabies in Johannesburg and Cape Town, before facing the All Blacks in successive matches in Auckland and Wellington. They then return to Durban to face Argentina, and then travel to London, where they will wrap up their campaign against Los Pumas. 'We are always careful about the opposition in the Rugby Championship,' Erasmus said. 'Australia showed last weekend that they have what it takes to win a match against a team like the British & Irish Lions, and they have an opportunity to try to achieve that this weekend, so we are expecting tough battles against them, as well as New Zealand and Argentina.' With the Boks on a four-match winning run so far this season after victories against the Barbarians and a Castle Lager Incoming Series clean-sweep against Italy and Georgia, to add to their training camp weeks, Erasmus said: 'We would have eight weeks of proper preparation before we take the field in the Rugby Championship, and we are pleased with the physicality that Italy and Georgia brought against us in the last few weeks. 'We have another three weeks to prepare for the matches against Australia, so we'll be working hard on the training field in the next few weeks. 'We always knew that our first few matches would not be as tough as the Rugby Championship, even though the opposition was competitive and physical, but we are now going up against teams with solid game plans and a different intensity. 'Australia would have also come off the British & Irish Lions Series by the time we face them, so it will be a challenging tournament.' Erasmus admitted that this week's training camp was not originally part of their schedule, but he said it would benefit the team on several fronts. 'These two weeks of camp will give us time to align as coaches, as well as on the conditioning aspects for the players and to take stock from a medical perspective, so it's important in assisting us to get to where we want to be against three good countries in the series.' The Springboks will wrap up the first week of their training camp on Thursday afternoon and spend the weekend with their families, before reassembling in Johannesburg on Sunday to continue their on-field preparations. Rugby Championship fixtures: August 16: SA vs Australia, Johannesburg, 5.10pm August 23: SA vs Australia, Cape Town, 5.10pm September 6: New Zealand vs SA , Auckland, 9.05am September 13: New Zealand vs SA, Wellington, 9.05am September 7: SA vs Argentina, Durban 5.10pm October 4: Argentina vs SA, London, 3pm — SA Rugby Communications
