Erasmus opts for forward-heavy bench in plan to steamroll Japan

There was no mistaking South Africa’s confidence nor their intentions ahead of their quarter-final against Japan after head coach Rassie Erasmus unveiled his matchday squad a day early.

Erasmus has selected the same squad that he employed in the 49-3 victory against Italy, including a six forwards-two backs split among the replacements. Never mind using a wheel to break a butterfly, the Springboks intend to take a steamroller to the Brave Blossoms by bringing Malcolm Marx, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman and Franco Mostert off the substitutes’ bench.

After proclaiming how hard it would be to keep up with Japan’s pace, Erasmus has, at last, admitted that they intend to play the match on their terms. “I’m not giving away any team secrets, the selection is threefold,” Erasmus said. “The 23 is our best, in-form, fit players, which is why I went with the six-two split [on the bench]. Secondly, it is to nullify the space around the tight forwards, with the pace that they have. The third one is to play to our strengths, which is physical rugby, set-phases, mauling, scrums. We will try to play at our pace.”

Addressing his early team announcement, Erasmus said: “We don’t really care if the opposition know our team.” His biggest call was selecting in-form hooker Bongi Mbonambi over Marx. He also revealed that they deliberately staged a warm-up match against Japan, which they won 41-7, in order to expel the ghosts of their 2015 World Cup pool-stage defeat. Both matches, he says, are irrelevant. “We can forget Brighton and Kumagaya now,” Erasmus said. The bookmakers do not believe lightning can strike twice making, South

Africa 1-7 favourites and Erasmus had no qualms about embracing that tag. “Yes, I think that we are the favourites.”

South Africa (v Japan, Tokyo, Sunday 11.15am):

Replacements: