Rassie Erasmus has made 13 changes to the Springboks team for Sunday’s Wallabies Test in Perth. He said the changes were needed to build depth in the squad.
The new team has 355 fewer caps than the side that beat New Zealand in the United States. That win sealed a series victory in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
Erasmus used only 24 players in the last three Tests against the All Blacks. He backed experience and cohesion to win that series.
“We are building to the World Cup, and we are trying to win between World Cups, and sometimes you have to roll the dice,” Erasmus said after naming his team.
Erasmus said picking the same players against New Zealand had also been a gamble. “We rolled the dice a little bit against the All Blacks by playing the same team consistently,” he said.
He said most squad players had about 140 minutes of game time over the last six weeks. Some, like Ethan Hooker, had played much more. Others had played only about 40 minutes.
Seven of the eight replacements named for Perth played in the win over New Zealand in Baltimore. Erasmus said they could have started this weekend.
But he said picking the same players again would teach the coaches nothing new about the squad.
“If we keep on doing that, how would we know when we get to the Nations Championship at the end of the year or at the World Cup next year what the next guy can do?” he said.
Many of the players starting in Perth also played against Argentina before the New Zealand series. Erasmus said that performance was stop-and-start and not cohesive.
He said the players were now very hungry for a chance. “They really, really want to play, and they’ve been idling for a hell of a long time,” Erasmus said.
He also said Australia had not played 300 minutes of rugby in the last three weeks. “I think we’ll be okay,” he said.
Erasmus said South Africa wants to win the matches between World Cups, not only the tournaments. The Springboks were not very successful between the 2019 and 2023 World Cups. They have done better since the 2023 tournament.
The Springboks play the Wallabies in a one-off Test in Perth on Sunday. The Nations Championship follows at the end of the year, and the World Cup is next year.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Planet Rugby. Image: Planet Rugby. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.