‘Physicality only at this level won’t win you Tests’

JOHANNESBURG: RASSIE Erasmus’ Springboks will have a physical, hard edge to them, but that doesn’t mean they won’t also play smart attacking rugby.

The new Bok boss’s first assignment is in Washington DC this weekend when his team take on Wales. That match will be followed by three Tests against England in Joburg, Bloemfontein and Cape Town.

Erasmus, who yesterday named lock Pieter-Steph du Toit to captain the side against the Welsh, said the Boks would go back to their traditional strengths under his guidance.

“Everyone who comes into this job wants to find the right balance, but it will be great if we can keep the traditional things about us intact ... that which the opposition fear in us, but also be smarter in our game,” said the Bok boss.

“We all know what I’m talking about ... our physicality is always something we’ve prided ourselves in. We need to maintain that part of our game, but we also need to have something else tactically if it (the physical game) doesn’t come off ... because physicality only at this level won’t win you Test matches.”

Erasmus said he’d been pleased with the new attacking style local teams have been playing in Super Rugby. “It’s been great to see how the franchises, the Bulls and Sharks, have adopted a more attacking mindset this year; it’s just unfortunate that while we’ve been doing that (attacking), we’ve also leaked a lot of tries. That’s where I need to find the right balance.”

Erasmus’ 26-man squad for the Wales Test includes 16 forwards – among them exciting youngsters Thomas du Toit, Jason Jenkins, Ox Nche, Marvin Orie and Kwagga Smith – and 10 backs, including Andre Esterhuizen, Warrick Gelant, Travis Ismaiel, Makazole Mapimpi and Embrose Papier.

17 players who won’t feature in the USA will remain in Joburg to continue with their preparations for the first England Test at Ellis Park next Saturday. Erasmus made it clear there was no “A” and “B” team and that every man included to face Wales was also in the running to take on England.

“Injuries will have a bearing on the makeup of the squad for the first Test, performance, too ... so there are definitely still spots available for the first England Test.

“No one is guaranteed a place in the team. There are reasons why I’ve picked certain men to go to the USA ... If I picked two sides out of the 43 and they played against each other you wouldn’t be able to say who’d win. That’s how much confidence I have in this squad.

“The guys who are going to take on Wales can stick up their hands ... grab their opportunity and say, ‘I want to be in the team to face England’.”

The only players yet to join up with their teammates are Montpellier-based Frans Steyn and Bismarck du Plessis, who’ll be involved in the Top 14 final this weekend.

The team will fly out to Washington tomorrow night.