Rassie Erasmus Opens Up on Making 13 Changes in Springboks Squad to Face Wallabies in Perth
- Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus made 13 changes to his starting lineup for the one-off Test against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth
- The South African rugby coach revealed the rotation plan was decided before the final All Blacks Test in Baltimore, regardless of the result
- The bench remained stacked with first-team regulars, though one uncapped player featured among the replacements
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Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has expressed confidence in his heavily rotated squad ahead of the one-off Test against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth on Sunday, insisting the side is more than capable of securing a victory.
The Boks made 13 changes to the starting lineup that faced New Zealand in the final Rugby's Greatest Rivalry match in Baltimore just over a week ago, but Erasmus pointed to the group's experience as a key reason for optimism.
Experienced Squad Despite Mass Changes
"I think we are well covered. I think the average age of the guys who are starting is about 28 and the guys off the bench 29. The average caps is between 35 and 40. So I think with making so many changes, we are in a fortunate position that we have rotated a lot over the last couple of years," Erasmus said.
He highlighted the mobility of the forward pack, naming Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Johan Grobbelaar and Zach Porthen in the front row, alongside Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert, Paul de Villiers and Elrigh Louw. In the backline, Erasmus singled out Aphelele Fassi, Edwill van der Merwe, Canan Moodie and André Esterhuizen as players who had earned their opportunities.
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Only nine players from the Baltimore match are involved in the Perth squad altogether.
Rotation Plan Decided Before Baltimore
Erasmus confirmed the sweeping changes were not a reaction to the result against New Zealand. The decision to reward players who had contributed during the series was taken before the fourth All Blacks Test took place.
"We had already decided that win or lose in the fourth Test match against New Zealand that we would give the guys that had helped us through that series a proper opportunity," he said.
Among those who could have featured but did not start were Siya Kolisi, Damian Willemse and Cobus Reinach, as well as Cameron Hanekom, whom Erasmus said was being managed with the November end-of-year tour in mind.
The bench includes seven players Erasmus described as capable of providing immediate stability, with Quan Horn the only replacement without significant international game time. Horn's versatility across the 10, 12, 15 and wing positions was cited as a reason for his inclusion.
The Wallabies Test serves as the Boks' final fixture before a month-long break ahead of their end-of-year Tests in November.
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Source: Briefly News
