Coach Rassie has to don his thinking cap

Finding a solution to the complex situation faced by Rassie Erasmus in getting his choices spot-on for the World Cup in Japan in September, is easier said than done.

Who will he select as his third flyhalf, or his third hooker? And who does he leave out when he can take only six loose forwards?

Erasmus, who has completed a whirlwind tour to all six domestic franchises, has laid down a plan in which his top players’ game time needs to be managed.

The position of hooker, for instance, might become a lottery because the performances of Scarra Ntubeni for the Stormers and Akker van der Merwe for the Sharks at Cape Town Stadium last week really put No 3 hooker Schalk Brits’ performance for the Bulls in the shadows.

Current form and transformation, however, are not the only scenarios Erasmus has to carefully consider. Experience is also key, and Brits has tons of it.

There was a lot “razzmatazz” involved during the Super Hero Sunday spectacle, and while the performances of the four teams didn’t always live up to their fivestar status, Ntubeni and Van der Merwe were the shining lights on a mostly average day for the four SA Super Rugby franchises.

Erasmus would also have noticed that hooker Malcolm Marx, No 8 Warren Whiteley and flyhalf Elton Jantjies were influential for the Lions, while Van der Merwe, centre Lukhanyo Am and fullback Rhyno Smith got more into the game after the Lions’ heavyweights were substituted.

It was nonetheless clear that the Lions struggled to break down the Sharks’ defence, and it was up to Jantjies to vary his options, which included a great grubber for wing Courtnall Skosan.

Eventually it was only a breakaway try by replacement Sylvian Mahuza after a Sharks error which proved to be the difference.

In the later game, the Bulls initially made it easy for the Stormers with all the mistakes they made, but eventually players like flank Paul Schoeman and wing Duncan Matthews showed they will have a lot to offer.

It was unfortunate for the Bulls that they lost centre Jesse Kriel early with concussion, but his replacement Dylan Sage showed why he had been such a sensation in the shorter Sevens format.

While the Stormers rested a lot of their high-profile Boks, former Baby Bok No 8 Juarno Augustus showed why he is so highly rated, and initially he caught more of the shine than the decorated Duane Vermeulen who came into his own for the Bulls later in the game.