Tricky Wales Test will bolster Springboks’ steady rebuild but captaincy question remains

In Cape Town this past week, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus spoke about his passion for the South African nation as well as his commitment to one of the most uniquely challenging posts in world rugby.

At the same time, Erasmus mused about change and progress. He pointed out that the players who won back-to-back World Cup titles are ageing, and that an overhaul may be required as the Boks build towards the next tournament in 2027.

In keeping with the theme of brutal honesty, Erasmus stated that a new captain might be needed, and not just on a short-term basis.

While the inspirational Siya Kolisi is still available to the Boks, his contract with French club Racing 92 precludes him from various planning and training sessions staged in South Africa in the lead-up to the international season.

And like other Boks based in Europe, Kolisi will miss the season-opener against Wales on 22 June, as the match falls outside the Test window, and clubs are not obligated to release their players.

Sharks skipper a safe bet

Erasmus won’t be short on captaincy options heading into that one-off match at Twickenham. Over the past six years, the Bok coaching staff has explored many leadership options and has established a strong senior core.

Pieter-Steph du Toit, Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Brits, Handré Pollard and Bongi Mbonambi have led the Boks at one point or another — while Lukhanyo Am, Thomas du Toit and Elton Jantjies have captained the South Africa A side. Vermeulen and Brits have retired and Jantjies is no longer in the mix, but the bulk of that group remains intact.

Du Toit has enjoyed the responsibility with his club Toyota Verblitz in Japan. With the Japanese season ending in May, the blindside flanker — as well as other veterans such as Damian de Allende, Lood de Jager, Faf de Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Malcolm Marx, Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith — will return to South Africa well ahead of the start of the Test season.

Nevertheless, Erasmus has hinted that a player based in South Africa may be preferred as a successor to Kolisi.

The first Test against Wales will clash with the United Rugby Championship (URC) final and, as Erasmus conceded, this may preclude the selection of some local players.

If the Bulls and Stormers, for example, met in the URC final, all of those players — a combined 23 were invited to the recent alignment camp in Cape Town — would miss the Test at Twickenham.

Lock Eben Etzebeth is another candidate to captain the Boks if Siya Kolisi is overlooked because he is based in France. (Photo: Franco Arland/Getty Images)

The struggling Sharks are set to miss out on the URC playoffs altogether. While Erasmus would prefer to see a side stacked with Boks challenging for the URC title, the national side will certainly benefit from the early arrival of so many quality players. In terms of the captaincy, it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see Etzebeth or Mbonambi assuming the responsibility.

In the most recent World Cup cycle, Etzebeth often deputised for Kolisi whenever the skipper left the field. At the 2023 World Cup, Mbonambi shared these leadership duties, as did the versatile Deon Fourie.

Erasmus stated that the one-off against Wales will not serve as a warm-up for the two-Test series against Ireland in July. Indeed, it would be unfair to judge the Boks’ readiness for a formidable Ireland outfit on the basis of the team’s performance against Wales, as so many of their first-choice players will be unavailable due to club commitments.

And yet, Erasmus may decide to back the same leadership group for the duration of the mid-year Tests. Etzebeth, Mbonambi and a handful of Japan-based players who helped the side win back-to-back World Cups should carry that load in the absence of others such as Kolisi, Pollard and Steven Kitshoff, who should all return at a later stage.

Hooker Bongi Mbonambi could captain the Boks this season. He has led the team before. (Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images)

Balancing results and development

There’s a lot of talk about building towards 2027, and rightly so. No team has ever won a hat-trick of World Cup titles, and providing that the Boks continue to evolve, they will have the chance to make history.

At the same time, they can’t afford to overlook the importance of key series and tournaments. South Africa haven’t beaten Ireland since 2016, and will want to set the record straight when they host Andy Farrell’s side in July. Thereafter, they will be chasing two wins against the All Blacks — a result that will earn them a first Freedom Cup title since 2009.

Those matches will be played at World Cup final intensity, and “the Papas” — as Erasmus has affectionately dubbed his ageing stars — will be needed to get the team over the line.

Beyond those matches, the Boks must bring through the next generation of players. Erasmus reiterated his commitment to youth when he stated that the squad that travels to the 2027 World Cup will boast an average age of 29.

It’s a tall order when you consider that 32 of the 35 players who featured at the 2023 World Cup will be 30 or older by the 2027 tournament. Then again, Erasmus signalled his intent recently when he invited 16 uncapped players to an alignment camp.

Not all of those players may feature in 2024, but they may well get their chance over the course of the four-year cycle, as Erasmus and company look to strike a better balance between youth and experience.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has a lot to ponder as the Test season comes into focus. (Photo: Craig Mercer/MB Media/Getty Images)

Tough yet necessary decisions

Erasmus can’t take all of the veterans to the next World Cup. Vermeulen made a telling contribution at the age of 37 in last year’s tournament, but a team stacked with players in their mid-to-late 30s is unlikely to win the 2027 showpiece.

With this in mind, if Kolisi, Etzebeth, Mbonambi and other warriors will keep going for the next four years, and ultimately whether they will be captaincy options beyond 2024.

Pollard and Am should be considered for the long-term role, providing that their form continues to command selection. As is currently the case with Kolisi, however, Pollard’s status as an overseas player with Leicester may count against him. While there are further options in the current squad, developing younger — read long-term — alternatives should be a priority.

Erasmus’ recent statements suggest that the coaches are well aware of the challenges. The Boks clearly have the quality in personnel to target specific results in 2024 — with statement wins against Ireland and New Zealand at the top of the list — but they also have some tough yet necessary decisions to make with the next World Cup in mind. DM