The Springboks are set to make changes to their squad for the one-off Test against Australia in Perth, with head coach Rassie Erasmus looking to manage his team's workload after a gruelling mid-year Test season. Star player Handré Pollard, who has been out with a calf injury, is expected to be fit for the match at Optus Stadium on Sunday. Erasmus will have to balance freshness with cohesion, a challenge he and his management must navigate carefully.
The Springboks have already ruled out Damian de Allende and Pieter-Steph du Toit from the Test, giving them some rest after four tough Tests against New Zealand. A changed squad could bring fresh life to the team, but they will be wary of changing too much, having experienced the impact of limited cohesion in a previous match against New Zealand. The team came into that Ellis Park match with limited cohesion and eventually lost 33-16.
Erasmus and his management must strike a delicate balance between giving inexperienced players a chance and ensuring the core of the team features. The 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia is also in mind, with Erasmus looking to give players a taste of what it will be like Down Under. Morné van den Berg has shown promise in the No 9 jersey, while Pollard and Manie Libbok have not had a start in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry at flyhalf.
With de Allende out, Erasmus has the option to play Pollard at inside centre alongside Libbok or Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. If Pollard shifts to the midfield, it will leave Erasmus free to keep hybrid André Esterhuizen on the bench to make a second-half impact. Utility loose forward Cameron Hanekom can step into the vacancy at flanker, having made a physical impact off the replacement bench in previous Tests.
The Springboks have won Rugby's Greatest Rivalry 3-1, but the series exposed issues with finishing, lineout accuracy, and defence out wide. Erasmus has stated that the Test against Australia will be a crucial step on the team's road to the 2027 World Cup, presenting a different challenge after their bruising series against New Zealand.
The Springboks have arranged a warm-up match against Fiji ahead of next year's World Cup in Australia, which will serve as a dress rehearsal for the tournament. Erasmus believes the Test against Australia will offer a crucial logistical advantage ahead of RWC 2027, allowing him to assess his team's performance against a different opponent.
Erasmus will have plenty of options ahead of his team selection this week, but the main thing is to get cohesion within the match-day 23. If the Springboks get that right, they will be confident of a strong performance against the Wallabies in Perth. The Test against Australia is set to kick off at 11:45 am SA time on Sunday.
Key points
- Erasmus must balance freshness with cohesion in his team selection for the Test against Australia.
- The Springboks have ruled out Damian de Allende and Pieter-Steph du Toit from the Test against Australia.
- The Test against Australia will be a crucial step on the Springboks' road to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
