Online Reporter
THE Gqeberha double header featuring the Springboks and the South Africa A rugby team today is a gilt edged opportunity for this country to boost the national confidence by confirming the depth that Rassie Erasmus has available to him both now and going forward.
The Boks are the main feature as they repeat what they did last year, which is to face the Barbarians, and they will be looking for a similar type of performance and result. Apart from players who are returning from injury (Aphelele Fassi and Pieter-Steph du Toit) and getting up to speed after returning from Japan (the likes of Jesse Kriel, Franco Mostert and Jasper Wiese), there’s also the experimental aspect that is a large part of why this game is being played.
And for that the focus will mainly be on Quan Horn, the Fidelity SecureDrive Lions fullback who will be starting at the unfamiliar position of flyhalf in what for him is a relatively rare appearance in a Bok jersey, and the young Junior Bok captain Riley Norton, who slots into the starting second row even though he has yet to play a senior game for the DHL Stormers.
If Horn comes through with flying colours, and there is no reason he shouldn’t as he does flit into the first receiver channel a lot for the Lions and often with telling effect, then Erasmus will have another utility option to facilitate a six/two bench split as he heads into a new international season that has the Greatest Rivalry Series against the All Blacks in August and September as its main feature.
In Norton’s case it appears the question has always been when, rather than if, he becomes an established Bok. That is unlikely to be right now, and the focus of his immediate future will most likely remain leading the SA Under-20 side to the defence of the junior world title they won in such emphatic style last year.
However, a strong showing in what is effectively his first senior representative game will add to the lock stocks that Erasmus has admitted he is concerned about as well as boost his own personal confidence as his career gains momentum.
Then there’s Carlu Sadie, a man mountain in a country known for having a steady supply of tight-head props, and the opportunity other players, such as hooker Andre-Hugo Venter, get to show Erasmus that they belong at international level. Even though of course this game isn’t an official test match and doesn’t count for caps, it is recognised as a Bok game.
The Barbarians team that lines up against them isn’t as strong as some Barbarians teams can be and Erasmus might be hoping that they do manage to provide better opposition, so that it can be a proper work-out, than the side that fronted in Cape Town last year did.
Admittedly that was a wet day that was hardly conducive to Barbarians rugby, and the indications are that what confronts them in terms of conditions at the Eastern Cape venue today will be more conducive.
The South Africa A side kick off what should be an entertaining afternoon of rugby for an Eastern Cape audience that is starved off top level rugby with several players in its ranks against neighbouring Zimbabwe who could just go on to become global stars and who have already shown promise in sporadic appearances for URC teams.
TEAMS:
Springboks: Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Andre Esterhuizen, Edwill van der Merwe, Quan Horn, Grant Williams, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi, Franco Mostert, Riley Norton, Carlu Sadie, Andre-Hugo, Ox Nche.
Replacements: JJ Kotze, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen, Ben-Jason Dixon, Paul de Villiers, Evan Roos, Faf de Klerk, Vusi Moyo.
Barbarians: Warrick Gelant (SA), Andrew Kellaway (Australia), Virimi Vakatawa (France/Fiji), Alex Nankivell (New Zealand), Duhan van der Merwe (Scotland), Tomos Albornoz (Argentina), TJ Perenara (New Zealand), Miracle Fai’ilagi (Samoa), Lachlan Boshier (New Zealand), Guido Petti (Argentina), Alex Moon (England), Franco Molina (Argentina), D’Arcy Rae (Scotland), Elliot Dee (Wales), Mayko Vivas (Argentina).
Replacements: Leonel Oviedo (Argentina), Oli Kebble (Scotland/SA), Pedro Delgado (Argentina), Izak Rodder, Liam McConnell (Scotland), Santiago Arata (Uruguay), Harry Plummer (New Zealand), Tuidraki Samusamuvodre (Fiji). – supersport.
