Big guns likely to rejoin Boks
ROTATION: KOLISI MAY GET A BREAK FROM CAPTAINCY
With the Springboks desperate to right the wrongs of Twickenham, coach Rassie Erasmus is likely to bolster his side today when he names the team for their Test against France in Paris this weekend.
Erasmus, who battled to stay out of the limelight after his “Farrell tackling video” went viral on social media, was expected to call on three of his returning big guns, including scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, fullback Willie le Roux and lock Franco Mostert.
There was also a possibility he could rotate the captaincy, with flank Siya Kolisi looking battle weary before being substituted 18 min from the end of last week’s England Test, after starting in 10 of the Boks’ 11 Tests this year.
In another potentially big call, Erasmus could move Duane Vermeulen back to eighthman in order to unleash the more creative Warren Whiteley in the second half, with France often relying on their supremacy at the breakdown.
Depending on a late fitness test of lock Eben Etzebeth, who had an ankle injury, RG Snyman could earn his first start since June, as Erasmus might look for some firepower from his No 4.
Powerful Bok midfielder Damian de Allende said this week the team has been on an upward curve.
“I think we are getting there, and we are working on how to vary our game so we can constantly look for opportunities on the field,” said De Allende, who has made 34 Test appearances for the Boks.
However, he felt they must tweak the style.
“Our approach to the matches in the northern hemisphere has changed a bit because you have to respect the conditions in Europe and the way the game is played up here,” he said.
“We learned a lot from the Test that we lost against England in Cape Town in June, in very wet conditions.
“We are focussing on where we can rectify the mistakes we made against England, so we can play better against France,” De Allende said.