Springboks winners and losers: Rassie Erasmus backs ‘written off veteran’ and snubs ‘struggling playmaker’ against Ireland

Following Rassie Erasmus’ team announcement for the Springboks’ first Test match against Ireland, here are our winners and losers from the 23 named for the clash at Loftus Versveld in Pretoria.

Erasmus has unsurprisingly backed the old heads for the highly-anticipated Test match, naming the second most experienced starting Bok team – only the side that won the Rugby World Cup final last year boasted more Test caps in the starting XV.

In fact, 12 of the Springboks‘ starting XV started the 12-11 victory over the All Blacks with the other three coming off the bench and only three players that will take the field against Ireland, not making the World Cup squad.

We unpack that the matchday 23 and pick out our winners and losers from Erasmus’ selections.

Winners

Willie Le Roux

Written off after the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Written off after the 2023 Rugby World Cup. But Willie Le Roux is still a key cog in the Springboks squad as the veteran edges towards becoming the eighth player to notch up 100 Test matches for the Boks.

He will earn his 95th Test cap on Saturday, and while Damian Willemse took over the starting fullback role last year, Le Roux continues to be of high value to the Springboks’ coaching staff with his playmaking brilliance.

Gerhard Steenekamp

The Bulls loosehead prop is entrusted with replacing Steven Kitshoff this weekend, earning just his second Test cap for the Springboks on Saturday.

Last year, Gerhard Steenekamp was a surprising inclusion in the Springboks’ Rugby Championship squad and debuted in the World Cup warm-up match against Argentina but seemingly made a big impression on scrum coach Daan Human and the rest of the coaching staff.

The coaches have spoken glowingly about Steenekamp, and his performances in the URC and Investec Champions Cup this season were more than deserving of a Test recall and a second cap.

Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel

Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel equal the remarkable record of the most starting appearances for the Springboks as a centre combination, matching the record of the iconic Jean de Villiers and Jacque Fourie tally of 29.

De Villiers and Fourie are viewed as the best-of-the-best in terms of Bok centres – and for many, the best in the history of the game – and while de Allende and Kriel aren’t the most popular combination in Green and Gold, they have been remarkably consistent, brilliant and successful featuring under four Bok head coaches: Heyneke Meyer, Allister Coetzee, Jacques Nienaber and Erasmus.

It’s a memorable occasion for the pair who have been delivered on the big stage time and time again for the Springboks.

Siya Kolisi

Erasmus openly questioned whether Siya Kolisi would be his captain going forward with the flanker based in France with Racing 92.

However, the Bok boss has backed the inspirational leader yet again as they gear up to front up against the Irish and even had a jab at the comments of Racing 92’s president, Jacky Lorenzetti.

Kolisi always takes his game up several notches when he pulls on the Green and Gold jersey and expect nothing else on Saturday.

Kwagga Smith

A crucial member of the Springboks’ Bomb Squad during their Rugby World Cup triumph last year, Kwagga Smith gets an opportunity in the starting XV for the crunch Test, taking over the number eight jumper.

The versitile back-rower has often filled the role in the latter stages of Test matches but will take the starting role this time around filling the massive void left by Duane Vermeulen.

There is no doubting Smith’s capabilities around the park but this is a big match for him to prove that he can produce from the opening minutes of the match. He has shone when starting on the side of the scrum but many will still have memories of his performance in the number eight jumper in the first British and Irish Lions Test in 2021 – one of his rare poor outings in Green and Gold.

Marco van Staden

It is clear that Erasmus plans to target the Irish breakdown with Smith in the starting XV and further pilfering threats in the form of breakdown beasts Malcolm Marx and Marco van Staden on the bench.

Van Staden has been excellent for the Bulls this season and gets just reward for his efforts with a spot on the bench as the Boks look to launch a breakdown onslaught in the latter stages of the Test match at altitude.

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu

After a stunning debut where he oozed class and confidence and looked the manner born to the Springboks jersey, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu gets another shot to strut his ability on the big stage.

There has been a major hype around the 22-year-old for some time already and his first outing in Green and Gold did not disappoint, which has now earned him another shot -and with no disrespect to Wales- against a far better oppenent.

He has been tasked with filling Damian Willemse’s void of covering fly-half, centre and fullback and is bound to add real energy to the side in the latter stages of the encounter if given the chance.

Make no mistake, we are now witnessing the rise of a real Test superstar.

Who is Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu? Get to know the Springboks’ latest prodigy

Rassie Erasmus

At some point, Erasmus is going to have to blood new talents into the Green and Gold jersey and is doing so with the likes of Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Gerhard Steenekamp and, to a degree, Salmaan Moerat and Grant Williams. But he has the luxury of losing the likes of Steven Kitshoff, Jean Kleyn, Lood de Jager, Jaden Hendrikse, Canan Moodie and Damian Willemse and still being able to name such a strong and experienced squad for his first Test match back in charge on home soil.

Losers

Edwill van der Merwe

After a starring debut against Wales, an injury, and the return to fitness of Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse, it is certainly understandable that Erasmus has opted to return to the tried and tested in the blockbuster opener at Loftus Versveld.

Edwill van der Merwe is bound to add to his Test tally again this year, and despite his heroics last time out, he would have known that his chances would be weighted on the availability of the incumbents.

Makazole Mapimpi

In the same boat as Van der Merwe, Makazole Mapimpi was excellent against Wales, setting up and scoring a try, and he continued his stunning strike rate in Test rugby.

He is another who continues to produce performances that defy his age and had Kolbe or Arendse not been fit for the clash, he would have been a solid option out wide and would not have let the side down.

Still, through little fault of his own, he has slipped down the pecking order and will have to bide his time to earn another opportunity this year.

Andre Esterhuizen

An embarrassment of riches. Few countries, if any, would have the luxury of not selecting a world-class talent like Andre Esterhuizen, but the Springboks are in a situation where they can do so without a dip in quality.

Esterhuizen is another who put in a solid performance against Wales but missed out this week. But he is bound to get another shot this year and play a key role in this World Cup cycle.

Evan Roos

Following Duane Vermeulen’s retirement and Jasper Wiese’s suspension, it looked as if this would be Evan Roos’ chance to shine in the starting XV for the Springboks, but it is not to be yet.

The Stormers star impressed against Wales at Twickenham Stadium but simply missed out to the more experienced options as Erasmus backs the more breakdown focused players in Smith and Marco van Staden.

He is just simply unlucky this time around but could return to the matchday 23 this July, perhaps even as soon as next week.

Aphelele Fassi

After being outcasted from the Springboks squad since 2022, Aphelele Fassi fought his way back into the squad and made his first start in his preferred position, fullback, against Wales last week.

He continues to be involved in the squad but would have liked to get another shot in the starting XV or perhaps on the bench against the world number two team.

His efforts for the underperforming Sharks this season earned him a recall to the squad, and he delivered with his first opportunity this year, but unfortunately, like many of his squad-mates, he has missed out to the more tried and tested.

Manie Libbok

It was a challenging end to the season for Manie Libbok with the Stormers as he struggled off the tee in the crucial moment, and while he has been able to earn a Test recall, he has not made the matchday 23 for the first two games of the new year.

A wonderfully skilled player with the ball in hand, one would think that Libbok would shine under Tony Brown’s guidance. However, he will need to wait for his opportunity and force his hand in training.

Handre Pollard proved his big match temperament at the 2023 Rugby World Cup once again, and it is a rather straightforward selection in backing the sharp shooting number ten in what promises to be another tightly fought Test match.

Thomas du Toit

Hard luck for the in-form Bath prop, who enjoyed a sensational debut season in the Premiership. Thomas du Toit is bound to be a crucial member of the squad during this Rugby World Cup cycle but has missed out on selection this time around, with Steenekamp preferred as the backup loosehead and Vincent Koch as the tighthead.

For just about any other country, Du Toit would be the first or second choice on either side of the scrum, but for South Africa, that is sadly not the case for the front rower.

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