Rassie Erasmus feels the Springboks’ Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry success has vindicated him chopping and changing teams while backing the old guard to guide next-gen stars.
The Boks closed out the series 3-1 with a 43-28 win over the All Blacks in Baltimore on Saturday, fielding a starting XV with 927 caps – 327 in the backline, 600 among the forwards – plus 277 more on the bench.
Eben Etzebeth extended his record as the most-capped Springbok ever to 146 Tests, while the loose trio of Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Jasper Wiese stretched their record to 19 starts together, with Wiese now one cap shy of 50.
ICYMI: Boks hit record rankings high
Erasmus pointed to that experience, and an average age of 31 in the run-on XV, as key to sustaining depth through heavy rotation.
“I know some people criticise us, or don’t fully understand, when we change the team by 12 or 13 players. Most of the time, we calculate risk,” he said.
“But the team that played today, the average age was 31, so it’s not a young team.
“Our experience from series like the British & Irish Lions or a World Cup means you need guys who are experienced and can manage the pace of the game.
RASSIE: This is why we play rugby
“That’s what we’ve tried to do for four or five years, chopping and changing teams. Sometimes we get flak for that and we lose a game here or there.
“But then when the young guys come in, it’s not the first time, and they’re next to an older guy with a wise head – maybe not as fast or energetic, but calm. That’s the thought process. It’s not for us to make a jersey cheap or just give caps away.”
Erasmus also weighed the physical toll of four straight Tests against New Zealand in his selection calls.
“Sometimes we get it right, sometimes wrong. But the older guys help the younger guys, they pull them up, not push them down.
“There are six or seven older guys who, if we played next week, wouldn’t have been able to play. Their bodies are too tired. So we try to get that balance right.”
SIYA: Rassie reminded us how powerful we are
On six-cap Cameron Hanekom, who came off the bench and scored his second Test try, Erasmus explained the call for a tiring loose trio.
“Cameron Hanekom was awesome. Pietie [Du Toit] was cramping and Jasper was tired.
“When he came on, he was – he’s just getting better game by game and starting to feel comfortable in the system, so very happy for him.”
Photo: Michael Franken/Michael Franken Photography
The post ‘Awesome’ Cam worth the risk for Rassie appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.