5 takeaways as Rassie Erasmus gambles on 'cohesion'
Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus has opted for team cohesion over rotation for the final Test against the All Blacks. The selection features minimal changes, relying on an experienced core to secure a series victory.
Why it matters
Strategic team selection in high-stakes international sports reflects coaching philosophy and the pressure to maintain performance consistency.
Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus with an inset of Jesse Kriel.
Following the announcement of the Springboks team for the fourth Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test match against the All Blacks, here are our five takeaways from Rassie Erasmus’ selections.
It’s a change of pace for the Springboks ‘ head coach, who has selected largely the same pool of players for the third week in a row, having heavily rotated over the past two international seasons.
The only changes from Cape Town to Soweto and now Baltimore have been injury-enforced, with Cheslin Kolbe now missing out due to a broken jaw, as Damian Willemse returns to starting in the number 15 jersey. That means over the course of the last Tests, unless Erasmus makes late changes, just 24 players will have been used.
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