The Springboks were top of the world in 2019. How do they stay there in 2020?
The 2019 Rugby World Cup final feels a lifetime ago right now, but with rugby all over the globe screeching to a halt amid the COVID-19 outbreak, it could well be the last game Springbok fans get to see their team in for quite some time, with the 2020 season in tatters.
As stands, it looks as though the July internationals will not go ahead and the Rugby Championship, without significant global improvement in the pandemic, could also go unfulfilled this year. There are even suggestions that the November internationals in Europe could be under threat, with reports indicating Rugby Australia fears for their viability.
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Regardless, it seems the earliest we could see the Springboks back in action is August, should the Rugby Championship be deemed safe enough to go ahead. Failing that it could be November, or worse yet, they could be mothballed for the entirety of 2020.
It leaves plenty of time to ponder the next steps that Rassie Erasmus might take in his evolution of the side, such as who remains a key member of the squad and forms part of the core for the next Rugby World Cup cycle, as well as identifying some of the players currently on the fringes who are in prime position to move into more integral roles.
A lot was made of England’s youthful age profile at the Rugby World Cup and there is optimism among that nation’s fans that they could be in an even stronger position in 2023, though South Africa’s squad wasn’t exactly knocking on the retirement door out in Japan, either.
In the pack, talismanic captain Siya Kolisi and reigning World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit will almost certainly retain their spots on the flanks, giving Erasmus continuity in performance, experience and leadership. The two loose forwards remain with the Stormers, too, ensuring that the access Erasmus has to them and their availability for the Boks is as good as it possibly can be.
There is no pressing need to reenergise the engine room, either, with the quartet of Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager and RG Snyman all still in their 20’s, although all four now, or will very soon, ply their trade in Europe and Erasmus could be keen to ensure there is at least one South African-based lock in his core group moving forward.
The more urgent selection calls come at No 8 and loosehead, where the 33-year-old Duane Vermeulen is unlikely to make the next Rugby World Cup and Tendai Mtawarira has departed for the US for the swansong of his career. Malcolm Marx will continue to push Bongi Mbonambi at hooker, though some fresh blood will also likely be needed at tighthead moving forward.
'My understanding, from conversations with people within the game, is that there are 3, possibly 4, Premiership Rugby clubs that are in genuine danger of going out of business in the next few months.'
– @samrobertsrugby on rugby's day of reckoning ???https://t.co/shERu4gV4S
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Loosehead is a fairly simple calculation, where Steven Kitshoff has been preparing to replace Mtawarira for a number of years now, and his promotion to that role should create opportunities for the likes of Ox Nche and Thomas du Toit, unless the latter is moved back to his previous position of tighthead.
Moving du Toit back to tighthead might not be the worst idea, either, not only given his remarkable early promise at the position, but also that South Africa’s stock of purpose-built tightheads behind Frans Malherbe is not overly populous. Wilco Louw’s progress at Harlequins will be closely monitored, as will the Lions pair of Carlü Sadie and the raw but talented prospect that is Asenathi Ntlabakanye.
Erasmus’ luxury contingent of locks allows him to be patient and slowly integrate players such as Salmaan Moerat, Ruan Nortjé and JJ van der Mescht at the position, should he want a domestically based player or two in the mix. All three boast unique talents and show that the pool of second rows in South Africa is a long way off drying up. Bishops student Connor Evans could yet even make his move on the position in a couple of seasons’ time.
The bigger question in the pack, outside of tighthead, is who will rise to the challenge of replacing the iconic Vermeulen at the base of the scrum. The Springboks have tried, and largely struggled, to do so in the past when domestic selection policies meant that the No 8 was unavailable during his stints in Japan.
Michael Fatialofa has spoken for the first time publicly about his catastrophic neck injury. https://t.co/RQGHTnz0Z0
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South African rugby is rife with players of potential that can play the position, such as Juarno Augustus, Jaco Coetzee, Muller Uys and Phepsi Buthelezi, although precious few who have shown international standard at the senior level yet. Junior Pokomela is an intriguing option, although it remains to be seen if Erasmus will pick him whilst he is at the Cheetahs and not one of the South African Super Rugby franchises.
Loosehead and lock should take care of themselves, the hooker and flank stocks are in good shape and if some new talent can be found and nurtured at tighthead and No 8, there’s no reason to doubt that South Africa won’t be able to maintain their dominant and physical standards up front moving forward.
Their back line is in none too shabby shape, either, with Erasmus and the Boks relying on plenty of key players in Japan who should still be available in three years’ time in France.
In the half-backs, Faf de Klerk and Handré Pollard are going nowhere, whilst Herschel Jantjies looks to the manor born at scrum-half. Two players who might struggle a little more given their age to be in prime shape for the next Rugby World Cup are Cobus Reinach and Elton Jantjies, though with a bevvy of options at nine, finding competition for Pollard will be the real priority for Erasmus.
At centre, Frans Steyn will be moving on, but the trio of Damian de Allende, Lukhanyo Am and Jesse Kriel are all in or entering their primes, whilst the same can be said of the likes of Cheslin Kolbe, Sbu Nkosi and Warrick Gelant in the back three. At 30 years of age, Willie le Roux could face a sterner test against Father Time, as could the 29-year-old Makazole Mapimpi.
'We have entered the discussions with RUPA in good faith'https://t.co/dIR6hLuTpt
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The search for competition for Pollard could begin and end with Curwin Bosch, with the impressive playmaker having come on significantly over the past 12 months. Damian Willemse could offer competition, too, although many have him slated as a better option to replace le Roux, where he would go head-to-head with Gelant for a spot. Bosch has become that consistent performer at the Super Rugby level and that is the next leap that Willemse needs to make to truly put a marker down for a regular Springbok jersey.
Two names to watch in the centres, eager to make the most of Steyn’s potential absence, are Rikus Pretorius and Wandisile Simelane. Hugely contrasting centres, Pretorius and Simelane are two of the standout performers at the U20 level for South Africa in recent years and the latter has begun to flash that ability for the Lions.
In the back three, the Sharks’ Aphelele Fassi has thrown his hat into the full-back mix with Willemse and Gelant, although with the proposed 50:22 kicking laws that could come in, having his counter-attacking and aerial ability on the wing rather than full-back wouldn’t be the worst move for Erasmus to make. Likewise, Tyrone Green is another that could be in the mix for any potential vacancies in the back three moving forward.
On the whole, it’s an encouraging period of transition for the Springboks, where there are very few positions that they feel undermanned in, in terms of prospective players pushing cases for selection. The tightheads and No 8s might lack somewhat for experience, though there is no dire need to move on from Malherbe or Vermeulen at this point and if the teams’ fortunes are going to be better served by keeping a number of the veterans in place for another season, Erasmus has the luxury to do just that.
Providing the potential financial ruin of COVID-19 doesn’t bring South African rugby to its knees, the Springboks look as though they are in a strong position to maintain their spot at the top of the world moving forward.
Watch: Could Australian rugby be about to lose another Super Rugby team?
Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments