Rassie Erasmus highly praised the debut of young player Wusi Moyo in Springboks' victory over Wales

Quagg Smith, a versatile forward for the Springboks team, recognized Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus as the main ideologue behind the team's experiments with hybrid players, emphasizing that this tactic reflects the coach's broader philosophy regarding rugby.

Philosophy of Versatility

Smith himself is one of the first 'hybrid' players, thanks to his sevens skills acquired with the Blitzboks. He played on the open flank, as an eighth player, and even substituted for the Boks forwards in test matches. Erasmus's tenure leading the Boks is characterized by a high priority placed on player versatility, allowing many athletes to cover multiple positions, both in the forward line and the backline.

Examples of Versatile Players

In several examples, such as Pieter-Steph du Toit, Francois Mustert, Marco van der Merwe, Dion Fury, and later players Jan-Hendrik Vessels and Ben-Jason Dixon, they were used in multiple positions in the front row. In the backline, similar changes were demonstrated by Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Grant Williams, Damian Willemse, Kanan Moody, and Hendre Pollard. Furthermore, Juan Corn, who usually played in a full position, was tested by Erasmus in the wing position.

Extreme Rotation Examples

The most striking examples were Fury and Van der Merwe, who are fundamentally forwards but participated in the hooker position when required by the Boks' scheme, which was most noticeable in the 2023 Rugby World Cup final. Andre Esterhuizen, a 32-year-old player who is a large centre, should also be mentioned; Erasmus valued his potential in the role of a forward, allowing the 'Giant' to change roles during the match as needed.

Smith's Gratitude to Erasmus

Smith stated that all credit for the development and evolution of the hybrid player belongs to Rassie. He recounted that Erasmus first approached him at the Loftus training camp with the instruction: 'Listen, we are going to implement a 6-2 split, and you must be able to play on the wing or as a halfback or anything.' Smith noted that Erasmus is capable of convincing people of a common goal and teaching useful skills. He added that for Andre, the ability to play as a forward is a huge advantage because it allows him to receive more test matches.

Upcoming Matches and Squad

This coming weekend, the Boks will adopt a more cautious approach to versatility in the match against Wales as part of the Nations Championship. Nevertheless, Vessels, who played in the hooker position against Scotland last week, has been selected for the prop position for Saturday's game (the match starts at 17:40). Ben-Jason Dixon is also included in the squad as a lock backup, despite his skill on the flank, and Willemse is expected to cover the wing, centre, and fullback positions.

The South African rugby coach, Rassie Erasmus, confirmed his promise by including four players who had not previously played for the national team in the confrontation with Wales in Durban this Saturday. Among these players are 20-year-old home-field playmaker Wuse Moyo and powerful scrummer Carlu Seydi, demonstrating the readiness of a new generation of South African talents.

Squad Selection and Opportunities for Young Players

Senior players Ruben van Heerden and Carlu Seydi, along with young players Jaco Williams and Wuse Moyo, were included in the squad of the experienced South African national team, which is expected to have sufficient strength to play against Wales at Kings Park stadium (the match starts at 17:40). Erasmus noted that the team provided opportunities to players from the start of preparations before the match against the Barbarians, and now those who were in the camp for seven weeks are getting a chance by helping the national team in test matches.

Reasons for Some Stars' Absence

The coach also reported that some players, including Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, and Luuid de Jager, are in the group with minor injuries. Logically, they should be rested for next week, and a suitable game for them will be the away friendly against Argentina scheduled for August 8th.

Details of Young Players' Debuts

Moyo, the playmaker from the Sharks, debuts for the South African national team at home and will play alongside experienced Kobus Reinach. Erasmus emphasized Moyo's unique qualities, noting that despite his age (20 years), he is a large player who is not afraid of the physical aspect of the game. He also described Moyo as a calm player with soft hands who kicks the ball excellently, whether it is repeats, touches, or attempts at the posts, although he has no experience in a test match yet.

Regarding Williams, Moyo's teammate, Erasmus stated that Jaco, being a graduate of the junior national team, has shown that besides speed, he also possesses physical strength. At 21 years old and not having a large build, he demonstrates a combination of power, speed, and 'X-factor'.

Return of Van Heerden and Seydi

Ruben van Heerden, a 28-year-old second-row player, has long awaited his debut for the South African national team. Erasmus expressed happiness about his inclusion, noting that there have been instances in the past where players in the camp did not get a chance due to the coach's nervousness or circumstances. Van Heerden demonstrated excellent play in the scrums last year against the Barbarians. This year he was selected to participate in the Barbarians match but declined, preferring to play for the SA A team. The coach noted that his recognition is deserved because he prepared the players participating in the test matches for seven weeks, and that they do not give 'caps' away for free, considering that Ruan (Northje) also needs rest after playing many matches.

Carlu Seydi, a 29-year-old player, has also long remained on the verge of a debut. Erasmus explained that Seydi played for the Bordeaux team that won the Champions Cup, and it is impossible to start in such a team if one cannot play effectively in the scrum. The presence of Seydi and Wilko Lou in the team is beneficial for hooker Johan Grobbelaar, as he has good scrummers available.

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus intends to make further changes to the squad before the third and final mid-season Nations Cup match against Wales, which will take place in Durban this Saturday.

Preparation for the Wales match

Following an impressive victory over Scotland at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday, where the world champions won 42-28 using a heavily altered lineup, the team demonstrated its power and versatility. This win also allowed the Springboks to maintain their unbeaten run at home against visiting teams.

As the Welsh team arrives on the East Coast for the third tournament match, this provides Erasmus with another opportunity to rotate players and give more game time to several athletes.

Potential squad changes

Considering Wales' heavy defeat to Argentina, the Springboks coach hinted that he might provide more playing time by resting some established stars for a week or two. The match against Wales could be an ideal opportunity for captain Siya Kolisi to get more minutes, while Pieter-Steph du Toit can deservedly rest after leading the team in the first two matches and performing excellently in his role.

Furthermore, Erasmus may consider debuting young players Jaco Williams and Wuse Moyo, who were in camp and eager for a chance. Erasmus stated that a combination of players would be used in the match against Wales to blend experience in the squad.

Coach's comments on rotation

He mentioned including players returning to form and discussed the injury situation of Ethan Hooker. Erasmus noted that Kanan Moody might return to full fitness after being excluded from the match against Scotland, and he could be moved to position 13. He also reported the possible inclusion of Sacie Feinberg-Mngomezulu next week, as he might be ready for the match against Argentina or later against New Zealand. Additionally, Morne van den Berg is close to full physical condition, and Siya or Lud de Jager might also be ready. Thus, the team will present a mix of players recovering from injuries and ensuring more players on the field than the opponent, as they were outnumbered in players and experience against Scotland.

Although this might once again be a case of mixing and matching players in certain positions, the senior Springboks players faced the Scots again, mobilizing younger athletes to secure victory under difficult circumstances. While inexperience sometimes showed, especially in defense, the Boks' style of play, when they fought each other, highlighted how strong the team's position is. Erasmus emphasized that they have learned a lot during these matches and was pleased to continue winning while gaining valuable lessons from every test. He also noted the positive impact of the substitutes, satisfied with the pace and energy they brought off the bench, which ultimately helped the Boks finish the contest in the last 10 minutes when Scotland tried to switch to their expansive style of play.