EXCLUSIVE - Former Springbok on why England will win first ever series on South African soil
England are coming off three successive Six Nations defeats but Schalk Brits makes Eddie Jones’s men favourite to win next month’s test series in South Africa and is backing recalls for Wasps Willie le Roux and Sale’s Faf de Klerk to bolster the Springboks cause.
RugbyPass understands Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus is planning to fly Bismarck du Plessis home for the England series to cover for the loss of the Lions hooker Malcolm Marx who has a serious hamstring injury. The plan is to recall du Plessis once the hooker’s commitments to Montpellier are completed as they are in the Top14 play-offs. It means du Plessis cannot be considered for the Springboks test with Wales in Washington on June 2.
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While other members of the Springboks squad will have to deal with the jet lag problems created by the one-off test in America, du Plessis will be able to fly directly to South Africa from France for the series which starts in Johannesburg on June 9 followed by Bloemfontein (June 16) and Cape Town (June 23).
The knee injury suffered by Racing 92 outside half Pat Lambie in yesterday’s European Champions Cup final defeat by Leinster, rules him out of the England series making the return of le Roux and de Klerk even more timely as they are not only in great form but have crucial up-to-date experience of the England players who will be attempting to win a first ever series in South Africa.
For Brits, who is preparing to face le Roux in Saracens home Aviva Premiership play-off semi-final at Allianz Park on Saturday, the return of the Wasps fullback and de Klerk, the Sale Sharks scrumhalf, can only enhance the Springboks’ chances.
Brits, in his final season as a professional player, said: “Willie has been voted the Wasps supporters player of the season and Faf has got the same award at Sale. I have played with and against Willie and he creates space for others or makes something happen himself. From a full back perspective, we have been struggling in South Africa and he would bring a different dimension to the Bok side. During the World Cup in 2015 we were quite structured in the way we wanted to play and that inhibited some of his capabilities.
“If you watch what Willie has been doing at Wasps this season then it is pretty phenomenal with 21 try assists. That stat alone show you what he brings to the team as well as being such a solid player and offers a kicking option. Willie would be an asset to any team.
“Faf instils passion into the game and it’s not like people are queuing up for the No.9 role with the Boks and it is up for grabs. It really comes down to what pattern Rassie wants to play and getting the right players to put that into operation. If he wants to bring in pace then pick Faf or bring him off the bench and let him do his magic.
“Faf has been playing outstanding rugby for Sale and his option taking has been really good and he has been a little pocket rocket. If I was his size I would be getting out of the way of the big hits but he puts himself right in the middle of things.”
For Erasmus and whoever he chooses to take on England, the challenge will be significant and despite Jones being robbed by injury of key players including captain Dylan Hartley(Northampton) and the Bath pair of Antony Watson and Jonathan Joseph, Brits expects a difficult series for the Boks. He added: “England didn’t have a great Six Nations but they definitely go to South Africa as favourites because they have a squad that has been together for a long time. Rassie is striving, in a very short time, to get structures in place and losing guys like Jan Serfontein is a real blow.”
With Marx out with his hamstring injury, is Brits putting his own hand up for a test recall given his form for Saracens? “Of course, yes! I would love to finish my career playing for the Springboks and please give Rassie a call and tell him I am available!”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments