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What Erasmus reckons Lions boss Warren Gatland will make of the Springboks squad
Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus reckons Lions boss Warren Gatland won’t be really nervous over the 46-strong South African squad unveiled on Saturday to face the tourists in July. Erasmus suggested that his rival had something up his sleeve eight days earlier when asked for his thoughts on the 37-strong squad chosen by the Lions.
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“I think he has got something up his sleeve,” said Erasmus on May 28. “I don’t think we’re going to see this battle of attrition, grinding it out like the semi-final in the World Cup (against Wales)… we will definitely see a bit of change in his game plan but he might be just throwing us some bait, I’m not sure.”
Now Erasmus and Springboks head coach Jacques Nienaber have shown their hand, revealing a selection which they suggest took 18 months of weekly revising to whittle down from an initial number of 64 players.
Asked by RugbyPass what Gatland might now make of the eventual 46-strong Springboks squad, a selection that includes eight uncapped players, Erasmus said: ‘If he picked a different squad we might have made two or three changes, (but) we wouldn’t have made wholesale changes.
“If you look at our squad you will see the bulk of the 30 players from the World Cup that are still available. But then I think you will see we do have a Yaw Penxe. Cheslin (Kolbe) and (Makazole) Mapimpi are fit but we have got a (Aphelele) Fassi that falls in there. We have got a Penxe, we have got Rosko Specman, who has got X-factor.
No sooner was Vermeulen included in the Springboks squad to face the Lions, Rassie Erasmus was outlining his worst fears about his veteran No8 https://t.co/zRZHEbwzdi
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 5, 2021
“You have got (Wandisile) Simelane there, you’ve got Jesse (Kriel) who can play centre and wing, you have got Frans Steyn who can play 10, 15 and 12. You have got (Handre) Pollard who can play 12, you have got Damian (de Allende) who can play 12. You have got (Sanele) Nohamba that is more a Herschel (Jantjies) like type substitution. I wouldn’t say he can’t play tactical but he is a more instinctive player. We have got an explosive Jasper Wiese in the mix, we have got some strong du Preez brothers in the mix.
“I think he [Gatland] would know the players, his coaching staff would know the players. I don’t think it [the message that] will be sent out that this is a squad that is awesome and we have to be really nervous about it because they have got a squad that is really competitive.
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“The only thing that I meant last time when I spoke was they had picked eight players from Scotland and five of them are backs and Gregor (Townsend) is a backline, attacking coach and he is all-out attack. When you play Scotland it is like the French of old. That is the only thing I mean with that. So I think the two squads, if you compare them with grunt and grit and guts and soft touches and handling and vision, it is a quite nice comparison.”
While the Lions squad essentially only took a few weeks to nail down, Gatland announcing his assistant coaches on April 13 and naming his 37 players 23 days later on May 6, Erasmus added the Springboks took a lot longer to decide. “We have been doing this every week because we haven’t played for 18 months. We call it the road map on every single player. There were 64 in the beginning and we did a weekly road map. It has been 18 months of weekly analysing, sending clips through and making a document that a player would receive.”
Erasmus and Nienaber have fronted media 22 days after Gatland named his squad of 37 https://t.co/e1nG1nRy5P
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) May 28, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
100% agree with your comment about Touch. I’ve been playing it competitively since Covid. It’s on a Wednesday night after work. It means the weekend is free for time with my family.
1 Go to commentsRodda back is massively important for the Wallabies. Kaitu at hooker important too coz he was very good a few years ago.
1 Go to commentsThe pink cabous might be eligible this year and the Boks don’t need him
7 Go to commentsNasser and kaitu are options for hooker. Especially Nasser. You forgot Rodda who touch wood will be fit at test time and if fit he’s number one. Great partner for the great Skelton and Oz best lineout caller. Third best lock is LSL whom I’d be inclined to sub on for Skelton around 60 minutes. Probably start valetini at 8 because I like a big body back there. Cale should play 6 at the brumbies. For Wallabies definitely cale in the squad but as an apprentice. Dunno who starts at 6 seru wright Swinton hanigan with Will Harris and Harry Wilson not far away. Seru and Swinton my front runners but Swinton is going. Still if we don’t cap seru then Fiji must coz they need his lineout skills and easily compensate for his lack of weight
7 Go to commentsYeah but who was it?
8 Go to commentsThink you might have written this just before the Brumbies got thrashed last weekend
7 Go to commentsI really do believe that Billy Proctor should be selected at least in the larger squad but also it would be my choice at 13, much more a center than Ioane who can still play at wing. Roigard if fit should play, otherwise it should be Perenara or Christie. Also, Iose could deserve a spot at blindside. Of course, being a Canes supporter I’m biased but I really believe that at least Billy P is deserving a chance and being Holland one of the Selectors, I’m having a little hope he could grab it.
12 Go to commentsI would not play Swinton I’d pick Wright or Hanigan. The rest are decent starters, but can’t agree on any subs except Tupou. My take on the subs: Gibbon, Ueslese, Tupou, LSL, Wilson, White, Will Harrison, and Petaia.
7 Go to commentsSBW the biggest moron to pull on a black jersey a park footy player at best
8 Go to commentsSBW is fast becoming a laughing stock, his misplaced comments & lack of insight Is actually pretty sad.
8 Go to commentsJust well you guys are couch 🛋 potatoes selector's, picking a team of greenhorns to play England! “What are you people smoking?” The halfbacks will be Christie, Fakatava, Perenara Props; Newell, Bower, Lomax, Tunga'fasi, Hookers; Asosa Amua when fit, Taylor, Samisoni,
12 Go to commentsQuite frankly, all this is a bit pathetic. The first time Wales get the Wooden Spoon in 21 years and everyone is on the bandwagon for a ‘play-off’ game. Wales have no obligation to Georgia and no obligation to the rest of the Six Nations to play such a game. If they want Georgia in so badly then they need to include South Africa into a Northern Hemisphere competition with 2 leagues of 4 teams with the top 2 competing for the Championship. Sadly, this will end Triple Crowns and Grand Slams forever. Is this really what you want?
4 Go to commentsI think Finau to start Blackadder to come on. Poss Prokter instead of Ioane, haven't seen much from Reiko so far this year.
12 Go to commentsJoe will have had a good chat with Dave Rennie, a smart move to begin with while it’s doubtful Fast Eddie will be consulted? Plenty of Aus players hitting top form so they should go OK.
7 Go to commentsMmm. Not sure I like this article or see it as necessary.
8 Go to commentsBlackadder but no Finau! 😀 It’s Razor so you are probably right, plus Taylor at 2…
12 Go to commentsThe strongest possible AB side would actually include Aaron Smith, Bodie Retallick, Sam Whitelock, Leicester Fainga'anuku, Shannon Frizzel.. don’t get me started on the rest of the injury hit brigade that got flung on the heap so left. Many a whole not getting filled as of yet.
12 Go to commentsI don’t think anyone knows what Schmidt will do, one thing is certain it ain’t gonna be all the picks we on the keyboard will think. My impression of him is that he will be looking at who can step up and what is the best combination. He will ignore individuals as he looks for guys who can build a powerful team and not just guys who can make a flashy run or ignore the winger as they want to score themselves.
7 Go to commentsSome dumb selections there. Not Porecki Not Donaldson Not Gordon Not Lonegran - both Not Nic White - Fines instead Not Liam Wright Not Paisami Definitely not Vunivalu Other than that not bad.
7 Go to commentsI've never been convinced that Patty T is a test match all black. Otherwise I probably agree it's the best side available to beat the poms. Caveat that Codie Taylor is yet to be seen and could very likely warrant selection by June. I hope that Razor brings the young loosies, half backs and locks into the training squad and develops/ selects the best
12 Go to comments