With one eye on the future, this is the team I’d field if SA had to play tomorrow
It’s the first year of building a squad for the next World Cup and judging by coach Rassie Erasmus’s squad for the Bok camp, the Springboks will have a new look going forward.
I’m sure we’ll still see over 30s such as Siya Kolisi, Faf de Klerk, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Franco Mostert, Handre Pollard and whoever I left out now, in the Green and Gold going forward.
But I like the fresh faces called up to the squad for next month’s camp in the Cape.
So I decided to pick a starting XV if the Boks had to lace up tomorrow.
Here goes, enjoy or bash my team to pieces …
15 Damian Willemse
With Manie Libbok operating at 10 and Willie le Roux’s time as a starter a thing of the past - in my books at least - Willemse is the only logical choice at fullback if they had to play tomorrow.
14 Canan Moodie
We could yet see him move to No.13 where he played at times for the Boks last season and while I don’t think it’s a bad idea, I like a player of his physique wearing the No.14 jumper. His height definitely gives him an advantage fielding those high kicks.
13 Henco van Wyk
Lukhanyo Am or Jesse Kriel are the obvious choices here, but being over 30s and if they’d played tomorrow with the next World Cup four years from now, I’d like to see how the former SA Junior Player of the Year would go in a quality tea
12 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu
THIS move highlights the problems we have at inside centre in the country. I reckon Feinberg-Mngomezulu will be your backline “swinger” over the next few years, unless he takes the No.10 jumper from Libbok. Or who knows? Maybe he’s the next 12.
11 Kurt-Lee Arendse
Would have played even if it was a World Cup final tomorrow.
10 Manie Libbok
Sanele Nohamba’s emergence as a flyhalf is an exciting one, as a true halfback gives the Boks that option of going for the 6-1 split.
9 Grant Williams
At 32, I don’t see Faf de Klerk running the Bok game in 2027. And yes, Jaden Hendrikse is probably the coach’s favourite because he has a similar - albeit slower - style of play. That’s why I prefer the vinniger Williams. If he can perfect his kicking game over the next few years, it’d help his chances a lot.
8 Cameron Hanekom
I’m not going for Evan Roos? Sorry man, lost my taste for the guy because of his dirty tricks on the pitch. I like my Boks to play hard, but not dirty. Besides, Hanekom looks like the real deal.
7 Elrigh Louw
Pieter-Steph du Toit at 31 and playing in Japan will probably eye another World Cup. His deputy in this role Franco Mostert is 33, though. And that’s where Louw comes in. Who knows, he could even take the No.7 from Pieter-Steph over the next few years.
6 Marco van Staden
The only fetcher in the camp, with Deon Fourie not being called up.
5 Ruan Nortje
Regular Daily Voice readers will know that I’ve been tracking, and liking, this guy for a while now.
4 Eben Etzebeth
Would captain this “tomorrow” team.
3 Wilco Louw
Frans Malherbe hasn’t played a lot of rugby since returning from the World Cup, while Neethling Fouche has been doing well at the Stormers. Louw has also been struggling with injury of late and only just pips Fouche to the starting berth in my team.
2 Malcolm Marx
At 29, Marx can still wear this jumper at the next World Cup. Thank goodness.
1 Ox Nche
At 28, Nche is reaching his prime and that bodes well for South African rugby.
dudley.carstens@inl.co.za
Daily Voice