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ESTERHUIZEN: GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW HIS WORTH IN BOK MIDFIELD
Coach Erasmus mixing and matching ahead of Japan 2019.
Big Sharks centre Andre Esterhuizen has been given a challenge by Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus – stake a claim for next year’s World Cup.
Esterhuizen, who made his debut in the Welsh Test in Washington, has replaced Damian de Allende for today’s final England Test at Newlands and he will have to make it count.
“Andre and Damian are very similar type of players, Andre maybe kicks a bit better with his left foot and is about 10kg heavier but they are very much the similar type of players,” said Erasmus.
“They bring some grunt and are direct, they are good defenders and bring momentum. They do have subtle changes in their game with off-loads.”
And while they are very similar, Erasmus said he saw a few noticeable differences.
“A guy like Damian tends to take the outside gap a little bit more, but I definitely think Andre brings something else to the party, and we are privileged to have two players like that and a few others,” he said.
Erasmus said, as he spreads his net wider to find the ideal midfield combinations, he is also looking for the versatile type of centre who could cover more than one position.
“There’s Rohan (Janse van Rensburg) at the Lions, (Handre) Pollard can play 12, even if we think that overseas a guy like Pat Lambie who can play 10/12 as well as Damian Willemse and Frans Steyn,” he said.
“But we have to find that solution in the 10/12/15 position looking forward and I think Andre and Damian are fighting really hard for that 31-man World Cup squad, while Jan Serfontein is injured, but is another option.”
Erasmus said he is also really keen to see today what reserve scrumhalf Embrose Papier can bring.
“Embrose is lightning-fast, he is probably one of the fastest in the squad, he can speed up a game. Obviously at his age he has got some work-ons in terms of his passing and box-kicking,” he said.
“But he tackles really well, he understands the defensive system and is a natural attacker and what Mitch has done with him at the Bulls in grooming him for international rugby helps us a lot.
“For sure he will make some mistakes this weekend, but he definitely brings a lot of speed, energy and enthusiasm.”