Former Springbok hooker Hanyani Shimange believes no Test team in the world can match Rassie Erasmus’ squad for depth.
Erasmus surprised many by overhauling his backline for the Rugby Championship clash in Wellington, yet the rotated Boks still ran riot in a 43-10 triumph that underlined South Africa’s unmatched squad power.
“If you look at the schedule for the end-of-year tour, you actually need two squads,” Shimange said on The Verdict podcast.
“You look at Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel, they’ve still got a lot to offer. Everyone goes it’s a young squad or this and that, it isn’t – I think the 45 is incredibly powerful.”
Erasmus has long championed rotation to build depth for the road to the 2027 World Cup, and Shimange believes that strategy has put the Boks a step ahead of the chasing pack.
“What we’re actually doing now, I think we’re a step ahead and there’s a gap in terms of that in world rugby. I can’t think of a better squad,” he added.
Comparing the Springboks’ resources to their greatest rivals, Shimange pointed to the All Blacks’ vulnerability at flyhalf.
“If [Beauden] Barrett goes down, [Damian] McKenzie comes in – but who’s their third flyhalf?” he asked.
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Fellow Bok great Schalk Burger, also on the show, suggested New Zealand may even need to “go and fetch [Richie] Mo’unga” from Japan to keep pace.
The Boks’ end-of-year tour includes Tests against Japan on 1 November at Wembley Stadium, France on 8 November, Italy on 15 November, Ireland on 22 November and wraps up in Cardiff with a Test against Wales on 29 November.
Photo: Joe Allison/Getty Images
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