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.
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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.
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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
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments