Springboks: Five standout players from the URC as ‘blockbuster shift’ will have caught Rassie Erasmus’ attention

Following the weekend’s United Rugby Championship action, we take a look at five players who will have caught Rassie Erasmus’ eye.

The Boks boss is set to name his squad for the Autumn Nations Series shortly and he will be pleased by the performances of some of the stars this weekend.

Erasmus has not been shy to give players opportunities this year and while there is major competition for spots in the squad, there is scope for uncapped players to force their way through.

We take a look at five players who will have impressed the Springboks head coach ahead of naming his squad for the Tests against Scotland, England and Wales.

Damian Willemse v Munster

Damian Willemse missed the Springboks’ first 10 Test matches of the year after cementing himself in the starting XV last year during the Rugby World Cup.

The 26-year-old fullback started all of the Boks’ knockout matches during the tournament but has been sidelined with a hand injury. However, he has returned to action with the Stormers and has been in fine form.

Willemse has racked up four appearances to date but his most recent performance against Munster was arguably his finest. The versatile back started at fly-half for the Cape-based side on Saturday and shone with ball in hand and off the tee.

The Bok star is always a threat with the ball in hand and that was true in the clash against the Irish giants as he gained over 50 running metres and beat six defenders. He didn’t run the attack as effectively as Manie Libbok but he was incredibly accurate off the tee knocking over all five of his shots at goal and landed a crucial drop goal in the 77th minute.

He also defended strongly in the fly-half channel and was named as man of the match for his efforts. Willemse is bound to earn a recall to the Springboks’ squad for the November internationals and rightly so not only because of his form but his versatility and proven pedigree.

While he was injured, Willie Le Roux and Aphelele Fassi were given opportunities in the starting Green and Gold number 15 jumper with both players impressing creating a healthy selection headache for Erasmus.

Aphelele Fassi v Glasgow Warriors

Speaking of fullback options, Aphelele Fassi took his sublime form in the Springboks jersey back to the Sharks as he was also named as man of the match for his efforts against the Glasgow Warriors.

The man affectionately known as the ‘Weekend Special’ opened his try-scoring account for the 2024/25 URC season with a smart tap and go from close range.

The lanky fullback was also excellent under the high ball and sharp defensively as he continues to play with immense confidence.

Fassi was in the Test wilderness for two years but returned to the Green and Gold jersey with a bang in 2024, starting six times for Erasmus’ team dotting down four times including a brace last time out against Argentina.

The Sharks were boosted by their returning Springboks against the defending URC champions and Fassi was arguably the pick of the lot, gaining a game-high of 71 running metres from his 11 carries and also making six passes, showcasing that he is more than just an athletic running threat.

RG Snyman missed the entirety of the Rugby Championship but the Springboks locks stocks look to be in far better health for the Autumn Nations Series with the second row in stunning for Leinster.

The 29-year-old is in monstrous form for his new team and will be eager to take those performances back into the Springboks jersey. His athleticism and offloading ability has been a game-changer for the high-flying Leinster team.

The gigantic lock went viral with his one-handed lineout take against his former team Munster and he impressed with a similarly brilliant pick-up against Connacht. Snyman scooped up the ball superbly after a Jamison Gibson-Park fumble and spun past the Connacht defence to score his third try of the game.

He enjoyed an all-action 67-minute performance making 11 carries and four tackles with Leinster dominating possession. However, the most mind-boggling stat from his outing was the fact that he completed eight offloads and 12 passes.

He has always been a handful with the ball in hand but he now offers another unique threat which will fit perfectly into Tony Brown’s new attacking system.

Edwill van der Merwe v Zebre Parma

The Lions are one of just two teams that remain unbeaten in the United Rugby Championship along with Leinster and the Johannesburg-based outfit had to work incredibly hard for their 9-10 victory over Zebre.

The match was played in torrid conditions in Italy with Springboks hopeful Francke Horn awarded the man of the match award for his efforts on both sides of the ball.

However, the performance of one cap winger Edwill van der Merwe will have caught Erasmus’ eye. The 28-year-old scored a fantastic try against Wales at Twickenham Stadium but sustained an injury that saw him miss the remaining July internationals and the Rugby Championship.

He has been a standout for the Lions so far and his outing against Zebre was particularly impressive as was sharp under the high ball and solid defensively. He also did well to cross the whitewash in what a crucial try in the victory.

Erasmus has a plethora of options out wide in the form of Makazole Mapimpi, Cheslin Kolbe and Canan Moodie but Van der Merwe is certainly on his radar and his recent performances could earn him a recall.

Cameron Hanekom v Scarlets

It is no secret that Erasmus is a fan of Bulls forward Cameron Hanekom and it’s easy to see why after his sensational shift against the Scarlets.

The Bulls may have fallen to a crushing 23-22 defeat to the Welsh outfit but Hanekom was a shining light for Jake White’s men.

Injury denied him the chance of debuting earlier this year but Erasmus has regularly mentioned his name and he could finally earn that first cap.

In a blockbuster 80-minute performance, Hanekom made 14 carries, 13 tackles and gained over 60 metres. He also beat two defenders and completed two offloads and three passes.

The 22-year-old has all the skills to be Duane Vermeulen’s long-term successor in the Springboks jersey particularly at the breakdown as he won four turnovers against the Scarlets.