Rassie Erasmus’ comments on the Springboks’ lock depth are not accidental, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for the Sunday Times, Keohane says Erasmus has deliberately gone public about their second-row stocks because it is the one position where reinforcement is required if the Springboks are to win a third successive World Cup.
“When Erasmus says the Boks are thin at lock, he is referencing the quality of depth that has been there since 2019.”
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Erasmus has never selected on sentiment, and that principle remains unchanged. Age is measured not in years but in mileage, and the reality is that Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert and Lood de Jager have endured enormous physical demands across multiple Test cycles. Etzebeth’s return in March will need careful management, while injuries have continued to stall momentum for others.
What Erasmus has reinforced is accountability. “No player is guaranteed selection for the 2027 World Cup based on past heroics,” writes Keohane, a message that lands loudly in a squad built on continuity but driven by performance.
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There is optimism. Ruan Nortje has grown into a Test-quality lock, RG Snyman should peak in 2027, and Pieter-Steph du Toit remains a genuine option to move back to the second row. But Erasmus has also widened the lens, naming potential bolters and signalling opportunity beyond the established core.
“Erasmus, by going public with his thoughts on the Boks second-row stocks, has put some of the senior players on alert,” Keohane notes.
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It has also given hope to JJ van der Mescht and placed David Ribbans firmly back into the conversation.
Ribbans qualifies for South Africa by birth despite having represented England, with his final Test coming in the 2023 World Cup third-place playoff. From October 2026, he becomes Bok eligible.
“Ribbans is not a desperation pick – he is a Test-quality lock playing elite rugby, and the Springboks would be foolish not to consider him,” Keohane writes.
Photo: Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images
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