Former Springbok captain John Smit believes Rassie Erasmus is making the right call by rotating his squad for Saturday’s must-win Test against the All Blacks in Wellington.
Erasmus made seven changes to his starting lineup for the second Rugby Championship clash, leaving out a handful of senior players including Eben Etzebeth, Handre Pollard, Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel. While some critics have raised eyebrows, Smit says the Bok coach is playing the long game.
“I do think it’s necessary,” Smit told the DSPN Podcast. “If I look back at our attempt to go back-to-back from 2007 to 2011, we had an ageing squad and we probably could’ve done more to get some fresh blood in. The reality is we’re still two years out from the World Cup and it’s probably the best time to blood new guys.”
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The 2007 World Cup-winning skipper believes Erasmus’ track record buys him the freedom to experiment.
“Having gone back-to-back, he can be a bit more experimental, he can blood players, he can try new game plans and he can bring in new coaching staff. In my opinion, he’s not leaving much to chance and using his four-year gap wisely.”
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Smit added that while Erasmus will eventually build towards his strongest match 23 and give them consistent game time, rotation is unavoidable in the modern game.
“I think it’ll be the year of the World Cup we’ll start seeing him get closer and closer. The other reality is the game has become so fast and the physicality has become such a big thing – the rotation of players has become inevitable.
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“You look at some of the senior players Rassie’s left out for the second Test, and it must look to the world as if these guys are being punished, but they’ve done some hard yards already so far this year.
“At what stage as a coach do you trust the guys you’ve blooded into the squad? No better situation than against the greatest foe, which is the All Blacks.”
Photo: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images
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