Springboks Coach Rassie Erasmus Announces Decision to Call Up Two Fresh Players
- Rassie Erasmus has confirmed his decision to call up two fresh players for their upcoming games
- The South African rugby coach is currently preparing his latest squad for their game against Italy after beating France
- The Springboks manager also mentioned the positions of the two players expected to be called up
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South Africa's rugby team head coach Rassie Erasmus raised a few eyebrows by naming a revamped Springboks squad to face Italy this Saturday, November 15, 2025, after defeating France at the Stade de France in Paris last weekend.
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The most notable decision was to start Marco van Staden at No. 8 while also designating him as a backup hooker. While Van Staden isn’t a specialist in the front row, Erasmus believes he can effectively cover both the loose forward and hooker roles. Johan Grobbelaar is expected to handle the bulk of the action in the No. 2 position.
Erasmus to call up two new players
In an interview with SuperSport, Erasmus revealed that there was a plan to call up a couple more Springbok players on Sunday, November 16, 2025. He explained that they would likely bring in a hooker and a prop for the Italy game, as some players would be unavailable the following week, and additional players were needed to assist with preparations for the upcoming game against Ireland the following Saturday.
Among the players on the standby list, experienced hooker Bongi Mbonambi stands out as a strong candidate for a call-up. The only other prop available is Neethling Fouche, following Asenathi Ntlabakanye’s inclusion in the squad for the France game last weekend.
Erasmus acknowledged that selecting Marco van Staden at No. 8, while also serving as back-up hooker, was a calculated risk. He explained that Van Staden had been their hooker cover for the past five years, including playing in the front row against Tonga during the previous World Cup.
The South African rugby national team coach noted that if Van Staden managed the Italy Test well and gained some minutes at hooker, it would be an added advantage, though there was a chance it could backfire, requiring a contingency plan. He described Van Staden as one of the fittest players on the team and said they were “rolling the dice” with a possible split of 60 minutes at No. 8 and 20 minutes at hooker.
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While Van Staden might make a few mistakes, Erasmus emphasised that his breakdown work, as well as his skill with the ball, justified involving him, comparing the strategy to a gamble like a 7-1 or 6-2 split, which could make the game close if things didn’t go as planned.
Erasmus on bold substitution vs France
Briefly News also reported that Eramus explained the reason behind his bold substitution in South Africa's victory over France.
The South African rugby coach decided to sub off some of the veterans of the team, including the captain, Siya Kolisi, who was making his 100th Test cap in the match.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
