Former Springboks lock Victor Matfield said coach Rassie Erasmus is treating the Nations Championship like a Rugby World Cup. Erasmus named his strongest available team for the first two matches of the November series.
South Africa opened the series against Italy in Turin with a full-strength side. None of the six uncapped players in the squad got a chance in that match, Planet Rugby reported.
Erasmus then named a similar line-up for the second match, against France on Friday.
Matfield spoke on the Rugby Rivals podcast. Former All Blacks player Sir John Kirwan asked him whether Erasmus cared about the cup.
“It looks like he does,” Matfield said on the podcast. “I thought against Italy he would pick more youngsters, or even on the bench, but he went out with his strongest side.”
Erasmus had said before that the Nations Championship was low on his list of priorities, according to Planet Rugby. Matfield said he believed the coach had changed his view of the tournament.
Matfield said the format of the tournament explained the team choices. “We need to win four games in a row and that’s pretty much like you have to do in a World Cup,” he said.
He said a team must win three or four big games in a row from the quarter-final of a World Cup.
Matfield said he did not expect the young players to get a game in November while the team kept winning. “Once we lose and we’re maybe not playing for that first position, I think some of the youngsters might then get a chance,” he said.
He said many of the young players had not been in the squad before. He said this tour was more about them getting to know the team culture. He also said Erasmus had learnt a lesson against Australia.
Planet Rugby reported that the Springboks will likely have to win their remaining pool games against France and Ireland to reach the final. They could still get through after a loss if New Zealand lose to Wales or England.
France will be without Romain Ntamack, Matthieu Jalibert and Thomas Ramos on Friday. Antoine Dupont has moved to fly-half for the match.
Matfield said he did not “fear” this French team. He said that way of thinking was “so dangerous because French rugby’s got so much depth”.
“If you look at their Top 14 competition, there are five or six teams that can compete every weekend,” he said. “They’ll be tough, even if they don’t have Jalibert and Ntamack there.”
Matfield said New Zealand won the 2011 World Cup with a third or fourth choice fly-half after injuries. He said the Bulls once went into a semi-final after losing both centres, and their second-choice players came in.
The Springboks play four matches in the November series. The game against France on Friday is the second of them.
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.