The Springboks team has completed the first stage of the Nations Cup without any defeats, accumulating a maximum of 15 points in three matches against England, Scotland, and Wales. Thanks to this, they are ahead of New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere tournament table based on point difference.
Upcoming Matches and Preparation
In the near future, the Boks will focus their attention on Argentina, with whom they will play next weekend in Buenos Aires. This match will serve as the final preparation before the start of the Rugby Rivalry (RGR) against the All Blacks.
Lock Lineup in the Nations Cup
Independent media plans to closely examine the recent successes of the Boks to determine who should start in the first test match against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday, August 22nd. Previously, the defensive line, centers, halfbacks, and wingers were reviewed. Now, the focus is on the combination of locks.
Lock Options
Various options were utilized during the Nations Cup: Ben-Jason Dixon (10 matches, rating 6.5 out of 10), Pieter-Steph du Toit (98 matches, rating 7), Ruan Normie (20 matches, rating 6.5), Vincent Tsituka (two matches, rating 4), and Ruben van Heerden (one match, rating 7.5), as well as Kobus Wieße (four matches, rating 7).
Squad Issues
The ongoing absence of Eben Etzebeth is causing serious concern, and it remains unclear whether he will be able to participate in the RGR. His current health status, related to concussion concerns, remains uncertain, and the Boks team is giving him maximum time to recover. The most experienced player has been out since early April, and although his class remains constant, he may require time to return to peak form if he can even take the field. In an ideal scenario, he would be the primary No. 4 lock, but it will be necessary to wait and see what role he plays in the coming weeks. He might travel to Argentina this week to gain invaluable game experience.
Second Lock Position
The situation with the second lock (No. 5) is less complicated. Despite several significant injury issues in the second row over the past few weeks, Erasmus managed to handle the 'crisis' by including Ruben van Heerden in the squad, placing Kobus Wieße in that position, and testing the versatility of Ben-Jason Dixon, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Vincent Tsituka.
Selection for Ellis Park
Ruan Normie, who played in two Nations Cup matches last month, has shown growth in his role at the test match level as both a player and a leader for the Boks. Even with available Luda de Jager and Franco Mostert, he should feature in the starting fifteen at Ellis Park, while De Jager could be substituted from the bench to make an impact.
Projected Starting XV
According to the information provided, the projected Springboks starting lineup includes: Damian Willemse (15), Cheslin Kolbe (14), Jesse Kriel (13), Damian de Allende (12), Ethan Hooker (11), South Africa Finberg-Mngomezulu (10), Kobus Reinach (9), Jasper Wieße (8), Pieter-Steph du Toit (7), Siya Kolisi (captain, 6), Ruan Normie (5), and Eben Etzebeth (4).
