Rassie Erasmus looks at player ages, prep for 2027 Rugby World Cup
When also asked whether some senior players would still be considered for the 2027 global showpiece in Australia, he said selection would be fair – If older players are still performing, they will be there.
Erasmus was speaking to media amid their two-week training camp in Johannesburg ahead of their Rugby Championship title defence. This begins with games against Australia in Johannesburg and Cape Town on August 16 and 23, respectively.
Gap in player experience
Thirty-seven Test-capped players are included in the squad for those games, with eight capable Springboks acting as backup.
Three Junior Springbok stars who helped their team win the World Rugby U20 Championship joined the camp, as Erasmus seeks depth and eyes all 'possibilities of players' in the coming months and years.
When asked about preparation for 2027, Erasmus said: 'I can't really say there are any problems – I am not saying with our game, there are lots of things we must fix.'
He said during Covid-19, players lost out on rugby from school level all the way to domestic and international level. Erasmus saw the result of that in the quality of players currently aged 20 to 26. But he is adapting to this.
'You lose two years of guys developing. But overall, apart from that I'll be looking for excuses because I think we are pretty much on track.
'But we are trying to focus on the now without forgetting the future. We know 2027 is going to be big but if we don't do well leading up to it, we might lose momentum.'
Older Springboks will be selected if they perform
The Springboks have a number of older players who may retire in the coming years. Siya Kolisi (34), Cobus Reinach (35), Bongi Mbonambi (34), Damian de Allende (33), Eben Etzebeth (33), Faf de Klerk (33), Franco Mostert (34), Makazole Mapimpi (35), Vincent Koch (35) and Willie le Roux (35), are among them.
Erasmus said age is not as important as ability. 'Probably all of us will be involved until 2027 if I don't get fired before then,' he smiled.
However, he said: 'Trying to calculate which guys will be there in 2027, that's why we had a camp with 45 guys here. Because we are not 100% sure.
'Some guys we feel iffy, some guys we think will definitely make it. Some guys are just freaks of athletes, like Johnny Sexton who can play until they are 38. But you don't get a lot of those.'
That was why he is trying to build a large player base.
'They plan their rugby lives around their age and how well they can play. So if they are still in the top one to three in their positions until 2026, we'll probably play those guys. But making plans like we did, having bigger groups, making sure the younger guys coming through are quite comfortable… I think we are okay.'
In recent history, Schalk Brits played in the 2019 Rugby World Cup at the age of 38, and Duane Vermeulen was 37 at the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Likewise, Deon Fourie was the oldest player to make his Springbok debut, at 36. He was 37 when he played in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
This article first appeared in The Citizen.
Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel.
Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
TimesLIVE
6 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Loose forward Parker earns All Blacks call-up for Rugby Championship
Loose forward Simon Parker earned his first call-up to the All Blacks squad on Monday, while Tamaiti Williams and Wallace Sititi returned to the fold for the Rugby Championship after missing the July series against France because of injury. Waikato Chiefs flanker Parker was the only uncapped player selected by coach Scott Robertson in the 36-man squad, though rookie prop Tevita Mafileo, scrumhalf Kyle Preston and utility back Leroy Carter were named as injury cover for the trip to Argentina. Parker will join a strong band of loose forwards with Samipeni Finau, Ardie Savea, Du'Plessis Kirifi, Sititi, Peter Lakai and Luke Jacobson. 'He's a big man, he's been incredibly consistent all year,' Robertson said of Parker. 'He's physical but he's really accurate. He's intimidating.'
IOL News
10 hours ago
- IOL News
Versatile Nadine Roos set to continue backline rotation for Springbok Women
Nadine Roos has thrived in her hybrid backline role, splitting duties between scrumhalf, flyhalf and fullback in the lead-up to the 2025 Rugby World Cup. Photo: Supplied Image: Supplied Springbok Women's performance coach Swys de Bruin will continue to use utility player Nadine Roos across the backline, splitting her playing time between scrumhalf, fullback and flyhalf. 'With Nadine at nine, 10 and 15, she knows her role now. I said to her at a stage it'll be about 70% nine, 20% 15 and even flyhalf a bit again. So, she's happy with that role and the rest of the team are happy,' De Bruin said, in the aftermath of the emphatic 41–24 victory over the Black Ferns XV. In fact, he is happy with the versatility of the squad as a whole, with the World Cup in England just a few weeks away. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ 'I think we're very settled now. I think we're at the point where all 32 players understand one another, and the coaches understand them. So, it doesn't matter who goes on and off at what stage,' De Bruin said. 'If a player is slightly off form, they all bring the player back on form. We're comfortable with one another and that's what I always wanted. I've always used the phrase they've got tons and tons of confidence, and they need this game just to know they can do it.' Multi-code star Roos has expressed her willingness to play where needed and has proven this in the recent Test matches against Canada and the two games against the Black Ferns XV. On Saturday, she started at scrumhalf before switching to flyhalf. 'For me, the position doesn't matter. Coach always says it doesn't matter the number on your back, it still stays rugby,' she said after Saturday's impressive victory. Eyes on a full-team performance in Cape Town 👊 Nadine Roos wants the backs to bring the heat this time. #BokWomen #PlusOne — SA Women's Rugby (@WomenBoks) August 1, 2025 Much of Roos' focus in the build-up to the final World Cup warm-up match on home soil was on improving the defensive side of her game. 'I'm someone who, because I'm a smaller player, really prides herself on defence. People shouldn't run over me,' she said. 'This comes from sevens, and here (in fifteens) you kind of come up against bigger players. 'Some tackles I didn't stick last week, and I just said no one was going to get past me today – and no one did. For me, it just takes one small person to give a hit that no one expects, and that uplifts the team. If I can do that, I can uplift the player next to me and give the player confidence. 'I can't expect someone else to give me that confidence as a player. So, for me, it was just that mental switch to focus on myself, doing my job in training and on the field. That paid off for me and the team on the field.' De Bruin feels their defence out wide still needs some work, but that it is a 'small work-on'. The importance of staying switched on mentally was echoed by Saturday's skipper, Babalwa Latsha. 'I think the significant difference is that we made a mental switch to start believing that we're really capable of winning games like this – especially going into a World Cup, where we want winning to feel familiar to us,' she said. 'So that was the importance of this game. It was a matter of players realising this is it – this is the last game in South Africa before we head to one of the biggest stages of them all.' The Springbok Women's squad for the 2025 Rugby World Cup will be announced on Saturday.
TimesLIVE
12 hours ago
- TimesLIVE
Black Ferns win boosts Bok Women's confidence for World Cup
Springbok Women coach Swys de Bruin applauded his side after they outplayed New Zealand's Black Ferns at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town on Saturday night to end their Rugby World Cup preparations on a positive note. De Bruin said the 41-24 victory, overturning a 34-26 defeat from last weekend, provided a number of positive outcomes for the coaches and players. 'I think we are now close to where we wanted to be a few weeks out from the Rugby World Cup,' said De Bruin. 'The team really played well and executed the tweaks we made very well, and that delivered not only a winning result, but also a boost of confidence to the squad and management. 'We worked hard to get to this point and I can honestly say this was one of the best performances we had since I joined the squad just over a year ago.' Yonela Ngxingolo wants to be on that plane to the #RWC2025 😤🇿🇦 📺 Stream #RSAvNZL on DStv: — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 2, 2025 De Bruin said the players took the responsibility to change last weekend's result upon themselves and made a mental switch for the second game. 'It started with our jersey presentation when Babalwa [Latsha] made a wonderful speech to the team and they embraced the message she delivered that it was time to take the opportunities that they create. They showed exactly that today — it was such an inspiring performance.' De Bruin said their World Cup preparation is now complete and they can finally focus on their next task, the opening match against Brazil in Northampton on August 24. 'The coaches are happy we got our combinations and spine right and we can go to the World Cup 99% sure of what we need to do to have the best performance ever. We needed this win and the way we did it was an extra boost.' For Latsha, the victory meant South have a positive mindset going into the World Cup. The Springbok Women are firing on all cylinders 😤🇿🇦 📺 Stream #RSAvNZL on DStv: — SuperSport Rugby (@SSRugby) August 2, 2025 'We know the disappointment from last week when we did not execute and the joys of the win this week when we did,' she said. Nadine Roos, who started at scrumhalf on Saturday, said the performance was personal highlight. 'I was not happy about my performance last weekend and on Monday I said to myself I would prepare to play the best game I could and assist my team the best way I could,' said Roos. 'I decided no-one was going to get past me and no-one did. I am very happy we could pull off the win and that I could contribute towards that. Experienced flanker Sinazo Mcatshulwa said the physicality of the Springbok Women is easy to maintain. 'Every session we have, from Monday to Thursday, is a physical one, so we don't mind going to that dark place on a match day either. This was rewarding to all of us.' The Springbok Women squad for the World Cup will be announced on Saturday.
