Rassie Erasmus Makes Key Springboks Captaincy Call Ahead of Wallabies Clash in Perth
- Rassie Erasmus announced Andre Esterhuizen as Springbok captain for the one-off Test against the Wallabies
- The Springboks coach made 13 changes to his starting line-up, with key players rested after a heavy workload
- The Boks director explained why Esterhuizen stood out above others as the right man for the captaincy role
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Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has named Andre Esterhuizen as captain for South Africa's one-off Test against Australia this Sunday, making him the 68th player in history to lead the Springboks.
The announcement came alongside a heavily reshuffled starting XV, with Erasmus making 13 changes to the side that featured in earlier fixtures.
Why Erasmus chose Esterhuizen
Erasmus pointed to Esterhuizen's leadership track record and his consistent contributions to the Springbok squad as the primary reasons behind the decision.
"He captained the Sharks, and he has brought so much to our squad off and on the field, both at centre and in the loose trio, and he thoroughly deserves this opportunity," Erasmus said.
The coach added that handing the captaincy to Esterhuizen was also about strengthening the team's broader leadership structure. "It will also help build our leadership core even more within the team with several players having captained the side over the last few seasons, and we trust that he is the right man to take over the captaincy in this match."
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13 Changes and key absentees
Erasmus justified the sweeping changes by highlighting the hard work put in by every player selected, noting that the squad members had featured across the Nations Championship, the Rugby Global Rankings series, or both. He also said the returns of Handré Pollard and Canan Moodie from injury added quality depth to the selection pool.
"We are pleased to give them a run and we are excited to see this team in action," Erasmus said.
Two notable absentees are Pieter-Steph du Toit and Damian de Allende, both of whom have been released from camp. Erasmus said the decision was planned from the outset, citing the heavy demands placed on both players in recent months.
"They had a heavy workload in the last few months, and they deserve a break, but at the same time we decided from the outset that if everything went according to plan, we would rest them for this match, so it made sense to send them home to spend time with their families," he said.
The Test kicks off at 11:45 South African time and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Springboks release two stars before Wallabies Test
Briefly News previously reported that Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus confirmed that two players left the touring squad ahead of the Wallabies clash on 27 September
Utility forward Pieter-Steph du Toit and centre Damian de Allende were released to spend time with their families after a demanding schedule.
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Source: Briefly News
