Rassie Erasmus confirms Jasper Wiese's status in the squad despite Cameron Hanekom's statement

Springbok rugby coach Rassie Erasmus sent an encouraging message to young South African athletes participating in the Junior World Athletics Championships in the USA. He urged the young athletes to believe in themselves, embrace the pressure of international competition, and proudly represent their country, as the South African team started the tournament in Eugene, Oregon, with great promise.

The world rugby champion recorded a special address for the national team before the championships in the USA, encouraging the teenagers to trust the hard work that allowed them to reach the world stage. In a video clip published on the Team SA social media, Erasmus told the team: 'Success is not always victory. It is simply presence and representing your country, wearing your country's colors. Accept this—you are here, and you are doing it for South Africa.'

These words proved timely when 16-year-old shot putter Jacob van Dijk won South Africa's first medal at the championship on Wednesday. After a confident qualification throw of 19.09 m, Van Dijk set a personal record in the final—19.80 m, earning a bronze medal. Alessandro Borges from Brazil won gold with a result of 20.35 m, while Si-hoon Park from South Korea took silver with a result of 20.31 m.

Erasmus focused much of his message on the importance of belief, asserting that confidence is built through preparation, not just desire. He stated: 'Hard work gives you belief. Your team around you, your fathers, your mothers, your coaches, and everyone who invested in you believes in you. You hardly have the right not to believe in yourself because so many other people believe in you.'

This philosophy underpinned the recent success of the Springboks, and Erasmus believes it can be applied equally to young athletes competing on the world stage. He also tried to change the perception of anxiety often accompanying major championships, advising athletes to accept nervousness rather than fear it. Erasmus noted: 'Everyone thinks nerves mean you are worried, but nerves mean you care. You care because you are representing your family, your coaches, and South Africa. If you are nervous because you don't want to disappoint people, those are good nerves.'

South Africa's first day showed there is still much to see after Van Dijk's performance. The quad in the 4x400m relay twice broke the South African junior record. Rhino Rickert, Zant van der Merwe, Abelins Schoman, and Isabella Hunter ran 3:22.12 in the semi-finals, and then Rickert, Schoman, Isabella Hunter, and David Strong improved the time to 3:21.48 in the final, finishing sixth overall.

Javelin thrower Jan-Hendrik Heymans was also among the gold favorites, launching the javelin 76.02 m in qualification, six meters further than any other participant. Marques Olivier also reached the final with a throw of 68.77 m. On the track, Marco Ferreira advanced to the men's 100m final after winning the semi-final with a time of 10.13 seconds, and Ashlyn Norman qualified for the women's long jump final with a jump of 6.11 m. Werner Gouws, Emil Els, and Caris van Rooyen also advanced to their respective 800m semi-finals.

Erasmus concluded his message by reminding athletes not to let fear become their main opponent. He said: 'My worst feeling has always been regret. Regret over not believing or trusting myself. The athlete next to you is as nervous as you are. Believe in yourself, enjoy representing South Africa, and enjoy the moment.'

Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus intends to keep his cards close to his chest regarding the tactics the team might employ during the upcoming series of matches against the All Blacks as part of the tour, which is one of the greatest rivalries in rugby.

Team Playing Styles

There has been much discussion about how the New Zealand team performed in the first stage of the Nations Cup against France, Italy, and Ireland. The All Blacks demonstrated a high-tempo, possession-oriented game and led the tournament statistics for meters run and number of carries.

The Springboks, conversely, utilized more kicks than any other team, defeating England, Scotland, and Wales, placing a strong emphasis on controlled kicking as a lethal attacking weapon. Nevertheless, despite the differences in their styles, it was South Africa that emerged from the first block with more points scored and more tries than their fierce rivals.

Match Preparation

Although New Zealand selected several strong runners for the trip to South Africa, it is unlikely they will deviate from their high-tempo philosophy. Speaking to the press in Johannesburg on Tuesday, Erasmus commented on New Zealand's squad selection but remained characteristically cryptic when asked how the Blacks plan to counter this choice.

Erasmus stated: 'If we field Sacchu [Fineberg-Mngomezulu], Handre [Pollard], or Mani [Libbok] at winger, we have to decide whether we are playing a kicking game or a running game.' He added that the decision would depend on which team they choose and how the All Blacks perform in franchise matches. 'We haven't done much analysis on the All Blacks, so the squad for the greatest rivalry series will only be announced after the match against Argentina.'

Additional Matches and Opportunities

In addition to the four-match series, the tour includes mid-week historical matches where the All Blacks will face South African United Rugby Championship franchises—Stormers, Sharks, Bulls, and Lions. For Erasmus, these provincial games evoke warm personal memories and represent a grand platform for local players.

He noted: 'The franchise matches are quite special. I remember playing for the Cheetahs in a mid-week match against the British and Irish Lions, as well as my first match for the Springboks against them. This jersey from the Free State is framed.' Erasmus also emphasized: 'It is a huge honour for me to play against the All Blacks. Facing the haka of these players will be an honour.'

It is worth noting that Erasmus mentioned that the doors remain wide open for local stars who may earn a spot in the national squad through these mid-week encounters. He concluded: 'There are several players we released to the provinces, and they can still make the squad by showing excellent play against the All Blacks for their franchises.'

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).