Springboks team winners and losers: Surprise selection could ‘wreak havoc’ on All Blacks while Rassie Erasmus ‘down to bare bones’ in second-row

Following Rassie Erasmus’ Springboks team announcement for their Rugby Championship encounter against their arch rivals the All Blacks, here are our winners and losers.

After a fine start to the tournament in which his team sealed back-to-back victories over the Wallabies, the Springbok mentor has been forced into some changes as several players are unavailable due to injury.

Despite that, he still has plenty of experience in his ranks and Siya Kolisi captains a matchday squad which includes 17 Rugby World Cup winners.

Without further ado, here’s our winners and losers from the selection.

Winners

Aphelele Fassi

The Sharks full-back’s selection in the starting line-up ahead of the vastly experienced Willie le Roux is arguably the biggest surprise but it’s a deserved one as he came into the run-on side for the second Test against the Wallabies and took his chance with both hands.

Fassi delivered a superb all-round display as he was safe under the high ball, solid in defence while also impressing with ball in hand as he finished with 47 metres gained and scored a deserved try. Fassi’s selection could also be an indication of the game-plan which the Boks will employ as, unlike Le Roux, who usually slots in as a second playmaker, he is a strike runner who could wreak havoc on attack from the back.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu

Similarly to Fassi, Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s selection indicates that the Boks will be showing plenty of attacking intent as the young playmaker has shown throughout the Boks’ 2024 international campaign that he is a dangerous attacker who possesses a vast array of skills.

The 22-year-old started both matches against the Wallabies and after catching the eye with an outstanding all-round performance in the first encounter in Brisbane, he went slightly off the boil in the second Test in Perth. Despite that, he did not disgrace himself and his selection for Saturday’s clash against the All Blacks shows how highly Erasmus and the rest of the Bok coaching staff rate him.

Cobus Reinach

With the inexperienced Feinberg-Mngomezulu calling the shots as the chief playmaker. the selection of a senior player like Reinach alongside him is a sensible one as his vast experience will be valuable in calming his younger half-back partner.

Apart from that, Reinach is a genuine game-breaker who has an astute rugby brain and possesses searing pace which gives him the ability to change the course of a match with a magical moment in an instant. Fellow scrum-half Grant Williams has similar attributes but Reinach’s superior experience gives him an edge.

Jasper Wiese

After missing all six of the Boks’ six previous Tests due to a suspension while on duty for his former club, Leicester Tigers, the 28-year-old finally became available for selection this week and is drafted straight into the world champions’ run-on side for this highly anticipated fixture.

Wiese is renowned for being outstanding on both sides of the ball with his powerful ball carrying ability expected to give his side momentum while he is expected to thwart the All Blacks‘ attacking forays with some big defensive hits. Those attributes probably gave Wiese the edge over the likes of Kwagga Smith and Elrigh Louw – who are both amongst the replacements – and expect him to be like a caged animal when he takes to the field on Saturday.

Ben-Jason Dixon

Just like the Brisbane Test against the Wallabies, the 26-year-old benefits from the Boks’ problems at lock which has resulted in Pieter-Steph du Toit slotting into the second-row and Dixon coming into the run-on side on the blindside flank.

The Stormers stalwart did not disappoint in that fixture as he has similar attributes to the double World Cup winner as he has a high work-rate on defence, is a willing ball carrier and a handy option in the lineouts. Dixon is himself capable of packing down at lock and will also cover that position against New Zealand.

Ruan Nortje

The Bulls second-rower started in the Boks’ 30-12 triumph against the Wallabies in Perth and retains his position in the team after giving a good account of himself in that encounter.

Although he probably earns his selection due to the absence of the more experienced duo of Eben Etzebeth and RG Snyman, who are unavailable for selection due to injury, Nortje showed against the Wallabies that he can do the job at Test level as he called the Boks’ lineouts and was a valuable source of possession at the set-piece.

Gerhard Steenekamp

Another player who has done well since taking the step up to the international arena, Steenekamp’s selection ahead of the more experienced Steven Kitshoff might be surprising to some but we expect the Bulls stalwart make an impact off the bench in Johannesburg.

The 28-year-old is superb in the execution of his core duties with his scrummaging and ball carrying of a high standard while he also has ahigh defensive work-rate.

Losers

Willie le Roux

There is no suggestion that Le Roux is struggling with an injury, which makes the decision not to recall him to the team all the more surprising from Erasmus.

Of course the 35-year-old is highly unlikely to make the next Rugby World Cup so maybe we are seeing a changing of the guard from Erasmus, with Fassi given a show of faith after his performance against the Wallabies in Round Two. Such calls are needed as the next generation emerges but it makes it no less stunning.

Working against Le Roux in terms of his hopes of claiming a bench place is his lack of versatility compared to Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who will cover for Fassi.

Makazole Mapimpi

It was expected that Arendse would replace Mapimpi but if we’re splitting hairs then Mapimpi unfortunately drops into this section. Much like Le Roux it is a case of how much longer the veteran continues to pull on the Green and Gold jersey as the wing is now 34 years of age, meaning he’s played his last World Cup.

To his credit he is still putting in excellent performances for the Springboks and is third choice wing behind Kolbe and Arendse so he still has more to give.

Elrigh Louw

We predicted late last week it would be Wiese coming in fresh for this All Blacks Test and that’s proven to be the case, but that’s no slight on the Bulls man.

Louw has shone in his recent starts and will no doubt add impact off the bench alongside a back-row heavy trio that includes Smith and Marco van Staden. However, he might feel somewhat aggrieved to have lost his starting spot to Wiese and will be keen to make an impression during the second half in Johannesburg.

Injured locks

It never rains it pours is a term that best describes the Boks’ lock crisis at the moment, with no Etzebeth, Snyman or Salaam Moerat this weekend. They join Franco Mostert, Lood de Jager and Jean Kleyn on the sidelines as Erasmus is down to the bare bones in the second-row, with Du Toit filling in.

Fortunately for the Springboks they are blessed with what seems an endless supply of international quality locks, which helps limit the impact of such a crisis.

Nico Janse van Rensburg

Following on from this – and with three back-row forwards named on the bench – the recently called up Janse van Rensburg might feel this was his chance to pull on the Springbok jersey for the first time since 2021. However, he has just missed out due to Erasmus allowing him “more time to adjust to the new structures”.

Janse van Rensburg will hope it only delays his comeback by one week and he features in the second fixture in Cape Town, but that depends on how others recover.