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After seven months on the sidelines without playing any Tests, the Springboks are determined to hit the ground running with a win over a dynamic England side in Johannesburg on Saturday, coach Rassie Erasmus says.
With inspirational skipper Siya Kolisi leading from the front, the Boks are gunning to build positive winning momentum in their opening match of the new Nations Championship competition.
Erasmus says a youthful England side may want Saturday’s clash to open up and if that happens, flyhalf Manie Libbok is the right man to direct play for the Boks at Ellis Park (kickoff 5.40pm).
“We haven’t played a Test match for seven months, since the middle of last November, and our priority for a top team like England is to make sure we win the fixture and keep positive momentum,” Erasmus said.
“We know exactly what our supporters expect from us. We hear them on social media and read the letters they write. So we have picked a very settled team. The Barbarians game in Gqeberha was just a warm-up for guys who needed it ahead of this vital season opener.”
Erasmus says Libbok is the ideal player the wear the No 10 jersey for the season opener.
“Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is currently injured, while Quan Horn played at flyhalf against the Barbarians because Manie needed another week off after returning from Japan,” he said.
“Handre Pollard has only just rejoined us from the Bulls following their tough United Rugby Championship final in Dublin.
“We always felt Manie would be the right man for this job. I’m sure England are going to make it tough for us, but if the match opens up, and we think England want that to happen, then Manie is the right guy for us to have directing play on the field.”
The Bok coach explained the reasoning behind the matchday squad selected to face England.
“Franco Mostert is out for two to three weeks after picking up an injury against the Barbarians, while Lood de Jager will be back in contention next week against Scotland in Pretoria.
“Riley Norton unfortunately pulled his hamstring in training this week. It is a grade 3 tear, and he will be sidelined for eight to 10 weeks — locks are certainly getting injured in our environment right now. It is such a pity for Riley because he would have been heavily involved against England.
“He got injured probably in the second-to-last drill we did in the session. It was just one of those things. The young guys coming in have really pushed the intensity at the beginning of the sessions. They really push the older guys hard. Perhaps it had something to do with that.”
Erasmus explained why Wilco Louw was left out of the matchday squad, with Thomas du Toit handed the starting tighthead jersey and Stormers star Zachary Porthen named as the reserve cover on the bench.
“Porthen has been scrumming against Ox Nche and Gerhard Steenekamp in our live sessions and doing a spectacular job,” he said. “We also think Zach will be an excellent choice for us at altitude because of his mobility.
“The Boks expect a youthful, mobile England team and we feel we might need to combat that dynamic.
“And Wilco has had an incredibly tough season. He has had illness in the family, and a family member sadly passed away. He has also played a highly physical last five or six weeks of rugby at the Bulls. He will be much better off for a week of not playing.
“He has taken a massive physical hammering, but in any case, with Thomas starting, we feel Zach is the right guy coming off the bench for this particular fixture.”
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