Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has named a near full-strength team to play Italy at Allianz Stadium in Turin on Saturday. The match is part of the Nations Championship.
The 23-man squad has more than 1,000 Test caps between them. The starting XV alone has 835 caps, IOL Sport reported.
“It’s a cup that everybody is competing for,” Erasmus said of the Nations Championship.
None of the uncapped players on the tour were included in the matchday squad. Erasmus went back to his most experienced players after a loss to Australia in Perth in the last game.
“We rolled the dice a little bit in that last game against Australia, and that didn’t go too well. But some guys got game time in Perth,” Erasmus said.
“However, now, you know, it’s three important games and, yes, the biggest competition is the World Cup next year. So, we are trying to build for it,” he said.
The Boks face two tough games after Italy. They play France in Paris next Friday, and Ireland after that.
Erasmus said the team also wants a chance at the Nations Championship cup. “As a team you also want to try and be in the running for this Nations Championship cup when it comes to the play-offs or final round. So yes, we obviously are taking it seriously,” he said.
He said the Boks did not have as much training time as other teams. About 10 to 12 Japan-based players had been with some of the coaches since the weekend before.
“We had our first training session on Monday afternoon, so everyone is now on the same page,” Erasmus said.
According to Erasmus, picking a near full-strength side was not a hard decision. He said the team has the players to do well on Saturday.
Erasmus said he had a beer with Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada in London on Sunday. He said all coaches want to try new combinations.
“We are a year out from the World Cup and although one does want to experiment and try things, you also want to maintain momentum,” Erasmus said. “But you also want the people to keep faith in you and the players to trust you.”
Italy go into the game with several senior players injured. These include centres Tommaso Menoncello and Juan Ignacio Brex.
The world champions come into the November tour after winning the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks.
Source: this article is based on reporting by IOL Sport. Image: IOL Sport. 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.