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'Clearly the number one': Springboks coach Erasmus shoots down Hanekom talk
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Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus has shot down the suggestion that there will be competition for the No.8 jersey after Cameron Hanekom’s display in Argentina.
Hanekom delivered a man-of-the-match performance in his second showing of the year after missing the entire 2025 season with injury.
The 24-year-old has been a standout in the URC for the Bulls for a number of years but injuries have limited his international career to just three caps.
The performance raised eyebrows for many with incumbent No.8 Jasper Wiese was left back in South Africa to prepare for the series against the All Blacks.
Erasmus highlighted the depth the Boks have at the position and confirmed Wiese’s standing.
“It doesn’t open up, Jasper Wiese is clearly the number one number eight,” Erasmus said.
“Cameron has now really played well against an Argentinian team that has knocked us over a few times, so it’s lekka to have another option there,” Erasmus said.
“I thought Elrigh [Louw] did well at stages. Obviously, we have Pieter-Steph [du Toit], Paul de Villiers and Siya [Kolisi] is coming back.
“Andre [Esterhuizen] can play at eight and Marco’s [van Staden] played at eight for us, so it’s lekka to have those options.
“We’ll try and pick the 23 that we think can beat New Zealand but Cameron is definitely starting to settle nicely in the team, he’s starting to be calm in understanding what we’re trying to do, so I think he’s getting better every game.”
While Kolisi remains in doubt following a hamstring complaint, Stormers flanker Deon Fourie has been called into the squad.
Fourie, who turns 40 next month, played the last of his 13 caps for the Springboks in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final.
Erasmus said they will monitor the injury status of their players over the next two weeks before the first Test on August 22.
“In the next two weeks we will have to look at our injuries and then we will pick the team that we hope can try and beat New Zealand in the first Test match.”
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