Salmaan Moerat and Jan-Hendrik Wessels have an opportunity to silence their critics against Italy in Turin, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane believes Saturday’s Nations Championship Test is about more than another expected Bok victory, with the two forwards facing important individual examinations.
Rassie Erasmus has selected his strongest available match 23, largely retaining the players who secured a 3-1 series victory over the All Blacks in Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry.
But while the Bok coach knows what to expect from his established stars, Keohane believes starting lock Moerat and replacement hooker Wessels have something to prove.
“For both, this is a test within a Test,” he writes. “It is about opportunity, credibility and making a statement that goes beyond beating Italy.”
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Wessels has played 17 Tests but started just three, averaging 28 minutes per appearance. The 25-year-old’s versatility at loosehead prop and hooker has arguably prevented him from establishing himself in either position.
With Malcolm Marx firmly established as the Boks’ first-choice hooker, Keohane believes Erasmus needs Wessels to demonstrate that he can provide reliable cover at the highest level.
“Erasmus has invested heavily in Wessels, but investment eventually demands a return.”
Moerat, meanwhile, faces a different challenge after injuries and concussions restricted him to 12 Tests since 2022.
Despite his leadership credentials and the continued backing of Erasmus and Stormers coach John Dobson, the 28-year-old has attracted considerable criticism from fans, most recently after his selection to start against Italy.
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Keohane believes much of that criticism has been unfair, but says Moerat must now produce a commanding performance to win over his detractors.
Having recently returned to regular rugby with La Rochelle, the lock has an opportunity to demonstrate the physicality, work rate and leadership qualities that his coaches value.
“He doesn’t need to convince his coach,” Keohane writes. “He needs to impose himself on Italy, dominate the collisions and deliver the kind of performance that makes his selection indisputable.”
Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
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