Rassie Erasmus is excited to see a different dynamic from Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Elrigh Louw, who will make their first Test starts for the Springboks in the Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies on Saturday.
Erasmus handed Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Louw their first Test starts as the notable changes to the Bok lineup for the clash in Brisbane.
The 22-year-old Feinberg-Mngomezulu is elevated to start at flyhalf after four appearances off the bench this season (coming on at either flyhalf or fullback) while Louw starts at No 8 after four replacement appearances since his debut at the start of the 2022 season.
“Sacha has made a notable impact off the bench in all four Tests he has played so far, and he’s slotted into the system with ease, so we are excited to see what dynamic he adds to the team as a starter,” Erasmus said.
“His goalkicking has also been impressive, and we know that against teams like Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina the margins are very small, so every point will count.
“We’re also keen to see what Elrigh brings to the game, given his consistently strong performances for the Vodacom Bulls in the last few seasons and off the bench against Portugal. With Pieter-Steph (du Toit) and Siya (Kolisi) alongside him, he’ll have good guidance to play to his strengths and do what he does best.”
The match-23 feature only three changes from the group that faced the Irish with the only new players being Louw (No 8), two-time Rugby World Cup-winning scrumhalf Cobus Reinach, and replacement utility forward Ben-Jason Dixon.
Erasmus said the changes were part of a broader Springbok selection plan.
“One of the big talking points for us as a team from the beginning of the season was that we need to get the balance right between selecting teams featuring youth and experience as we build toward towards the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
“We’re pleased with the way we’ve been able to integrate some of the young players into the squad this season and give them game time against top opposition.
“We rested several players against Portugal to ensure that we had a fresh squad for the Rugby Championship, while a few young players really grabbed the opportunity to show what they can do in the first four Tests of the season.
“We’re excited to see what they have to offer against a team such as Australia which plays a vastly different style of rugby to that which we faced against Wales, Ireland and Portugal.
“Sacha and Ben-Jason showed proper class when they earned their chance to play this season and we are looking forward to seeing them in action against the Wallabies.”
Erasmus said he expected a thorough Test against the home team who go into the match off three successive victories this season in a city where the Springboks last registered a win in 2013.
“We only face the Southern Hemisphere teams in the Rugby Championship now, so we know they’ll pose a completely different challenge to the sides we’ve faced to date,” said Erasmus.
“They are also playing on their home turf where they have a good track record against us in the last few years, so we know it’s going to be a massive challenge.
Erasmus emphasised the importance of a good start to the competition.
“We have a challenging campaign with two away games against Australia and then two Tests against New Zealand at home before making a short trip to Santiago where we will face Argentina, and then we wrap up the tournament against Los Pumas in Nelspruit, so it will be vital for us to start well and build good momentum.”
Of the Springboks’ win record in Brisbane, Erasmus said: “This is a new year and new campaign, and a lot has changed for both teams in the last few years, so while we are mindful of that statistic, it won’t affect how we approach this match or next week’s encounter in Perth.
“Just as winning the World Cup is history now, so is that statistic, so as a team we want to go out there and give our best, and if we stick to our structures and capitalise on our chances, hopefully we’ll work ourselves into a good position to get the desired result.”
Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Image
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Src: sarugbymag.co.za
