The world champion Springboks had a good success rate in their first four Tests of 2024 despite mixing their teams up. The Rugby Championship will test their adaptability even more next month.
The Springboks can look back at four successful Tests under the returning Rassie Erasmus that yielded a 75% success rate but, more importantly, kick-started ‘Project 2027’ with plenty of positives.
A last-gasp drop goal in the second Test against Ireland prevented a clean sweep in the first four Tests under the World Cup-winning coach, but convincing wins over Wales and Portugal, with plenty of fresh faces successfully making their debuts, will trump that loss for now.
The year will only get tougher, though, when the Springboks begin their campaign in the Rugby Championship Down Under against one of their traditional southern hemisphere rivals, Australia, next month. At the end of August and start of September arch-rivals New Zealand head to Johannesburg and Cape Town for double Tests in the tournament.
The Boks will name their squad for the opening Tests in Brisbane and Perth on Tuesday, and several youngsters who performed against Wales, the Irish and Portugal are expected to form part of the 30-man squad.
Reaction from #Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus: “Having seven debutants play with four of them scoring tries makes things interesting…” – more here: https://t.co/It5YAhPMlU 🗣#ForeverGreenForeverGold #RSAvPOR pic.twitter.com/AucEeA0zz0
— Springboks (@Springboks) July 20, 2024
Erasmus will look back on the four Tests believing they’ve laid the perfect foundation from which they can continue building Project 2027, looking at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia.
Four players debuted against Wales, while another seven ran out for the Boks for the first time against Portugal this past weekend. That is 11 new Springboks in the first year since winning the World Cup. A handful of players with a single Test cap also got more games under their belts.
Despite the winning ratio, it would have meant more for the Boks to test these players to see if they are ready to step up to international rugby. Wales were a bit understrength, and Portugal is a tier-two rugby nation, but the game time the debutants and players like scrumhalf Grant Williams, No.8 Evan Roos, prop Gerhard Steenekamp and loose forward Ben-Jason Dixon got was invaluable.
But the most impressive player of the past four Tests was hands down rookie Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. He took Test rugby by storm since his debut and Erasmus and his assistant coaches will be most pleased by the utility back’s progress since coming off the bench against Wales at Twickenham.
After his exploits, he should be among the 30 chosen to go to Australia, where he will hopefully see more Test minutes in the starting team, just to see how well he functions from the kick-off. He replaced fullback Willie le Roux early in the second Test against the Irish in Durban and didn’t set a foot wrong, but Bok supporters would surely like to see what he can do as a starter.
The only position the Springboks probably need more clarity on is No.8.
In the absence of Jasper Wiese, who is still serving a suspension, Kwagga Smith and Evan Roos were the men in charge. Smith was excellent against the Irish, but the Boks will want that bruiser. Roos can fill that role, but his experience, especially against bigger teams, still counts against him.
Wiese should return in time to face the All Blacks, but for now, the two candidates are Smith and Roos, who brings different things to the party.
Despite the selection conundrums, Erasmus can look back on a successful first part of the 2024 international season as the Boks head into the Rugby Championship primed for more success on the field.
