Faf and Mapimpi among the casualties of Rassie’s Bok squad cull for Wallaby Tests

Coach Rassie Erasmus culled his large group of players used in the recent Tests against Italy and Georgia to streamline the squad for the Rugby Championship. He wants a smaller party to allow for “maximum outputs” at training.

Despite cutting many quality players, Erasmus was able to name a strong squad for the first two Rugby Championship clashes against Australia at Ellis Park on 16 August and at Cape Town Stadium a week later.

Five of the seven players who made their Test debuts against either Italy or Georgia – Ethan Hooker (utility back), Asenathi Ntlabakanye, Boan Venter (both props), Marnus van der Merwe (hooker) and Cobus Wiese (utility forward) – have been retained.

Only flank Vincent Tshituka and tighthead Neethling Fouche, of the newly capped players in 2025, have missed out – for now.

No 8 Jasper Wiese’s name is obviously not there because he still has a three-match suspension to serve after receiving a four-match ban for a headbutt during the Boks’ 42-24 first Test win over Italy.

Bath prop Thomas du Toit, who was used as loosehead in the second Test against Italy and against Georgia, is also absent from the group.

Officially, the reason for his omission is given as an “agreed” two-week rest period with his English club Bath. Du Toit struggled at loosehead in those two Tests, having spent the entire English domestic season at tighthead for Bath.

Du Toit remains on standby, but “has been granted a compulsory two-week rest as agreed with the Gallagher Premiership, although he is eligible to be called up at any stage should the need arise”.

His rest period will be over before the first Wallaby Test though. Expect to see Du Toit in the squad at some stage against Australia.

Goodbye?

Others who featured in June and July and who have been released include scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and wing Makazole Mapimpi.

De Klerk gave a wonderful cameo from the bench against Georgia, but it appears Erasmus is looking to the future, with Morne van den Berg retained and Junior Bok star Haashim Pead invited to train with the squad.

Pead was superb during the recent World Rugby U20 Championships in Italy where he scored six tries in five matches and was the axis on which the team’s dynamic attack turned.

De Klerk, though, reminded people what made him such a good player for five years with some fine work against Georgia during the Boks’ 55-10 win in Nelspruit.

Yet it seems that Erasmus is looking to the future at halfback.

Grant Williams’s return to Test rugby in July was a triumph. He was magnificent against Italy and Georgia, where he used his searing pace to open up defences on top of his dynamic and lightning-quick service.

When Williams plays the Boks’ attack looks sharper because his zip gives everyone outside him an extra metre or so to work in.

Van den Berg is emerging as Erasmus’s second-in-command for the No 9 jersey. In some ways he’s similar to Williams, with good pace and quick service, although he can be prone to the odd error.

Cobus Reinach provides the experienced cover at scrumhalf.

As for Mapimpi, it does feel like this is the end of the road for a player who embodies the best of South Africa through his rise from such humble beginnings to the pinnacle of the sport.

Mapimpi turns 35 on 26 July and with the arrival of Edwill van der Merwe, Hooker and Canan Moodie who also play wing, his Test future looks to be nearing the end.

With the next World Cup 26 months away, Erasmus must look to the future in all positions and, unfortunately, it’s hard to see Mapimpi in line for selection in 2027.

Erasmus, though, does have some sentimentality, and he might like to get Mapimpi to 50 Test caps over the next 12 months. The great wing currently sits on 47 appearances with 33 tries.

The other three players who have been cut from the squad but remain on standby (the Boks never use the word “dropped”) are Lukhanyo Am (centre), who missed the July Tests due to a knee niggle, Salmaan Moerat (lock) and Evan Roos (No 8).

“It’s always challenging to reduce the squad, especially given how the expanded group of players put up their hands during the incoming series (against Italy and Georgia), but we always said we would select a smaller, more manageable squad during the Rugby Championship,” said Erasmus. 

“This group includes several experienced players and a few younger guys, who grabbed their chances in the last few Tests, so we are pleased with this squad for the first two matches.

“We have also informed the players on standby what our plans are and what we expect from them, so that all of them are ready to step up if needed.”

Depth

Erasmus elaborated on the composition of the squad, saying: “We probably have three players who can cover each position, which is important in this competition, so it was a thorough process to narrow down the group to 36 players.

“One of our key pillars as a team is to build squad depth, and there is no better way to see what some of the younger players are capable of than to expose them to some of the top teams in the world.”

Of the Junior Boks invited to train with the squad for the next two weeks, which includes wing Cheswill Jooste and flank Bathobele Hlekani, Erasmus said: “We are tremendously proud of the Junior Springboks for winning the World Rugby U20 Championship and we were thrilled to see the talent coming through the junior ranks.

“We opted to invite three of them to join us to expose them to our structures and the standards required at top international level.

“We believe this camp will benefit them significantly, and we are excited to see how they slot in and train with us.

“Unfortunately, we had to limit the size of the squad to ensure maximum outputs and more individual attention at our training sessions, so although more players could have been invited, we could only select three.” DM

Springbok squad:

Forwards: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Verblitz), Jean-Luc du Preez (Bordeaux Begles), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Wilco Louw (Bulls), Malcolm Marx (Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Franco Mostert (Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Asenathi Ntlabakanye (Lions), Kwagga Smith (Blue Revs), RG Snyman (Leinster), Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Boan Venter (Edinburgh), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Cobus Wiese (Bulls).

Backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Cheslin Kolbe (Sungoliath), Willie le Roux (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Canan Moodie (Bulls), Handre Pollard (Bulls), Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Edwill van der Merwe (Sharks), Morné van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Damian Willemse (Stormers).