By Adnaan Mohamed
Rassie ready to unleash World Player of the Year in new role against Wallabies
Rassie Erasmus is cooking up another Springbok surprise, and this one could see the World Player of the Year, Malcolm Marx, packing down far from his usual hunting ground.
Erasmus continues to redefine squad management, introducing 13 changes for the Test against Australia while building leadership depth through Andre Esterhuizen’s appointment as captain.
Malcolm Marx has been named among the replacements for Sunday’s showdown with Australia in Perth, but Erasmus has revealed the wrecking-ball hooker could be unleashed at flank when he storms onto the field.
Yes, flank.
The revelation adds serious spice to an already radically reshuffled Bok pack as Erasmus attempts to keep his warriors fresh while building the depth he believes will be crucial at the next World Cup.
“Even later in the game, if Ox Nché comes on, Jan-Hendrik might move to hooker, and we’ve been trying Malcolm on the flank as well,” Erasmus said.
That means Marx could swap the No 2 jersey for the loose-forward trenches, where his ferocious carrying, physicality and breakdown work could give the Wallabies another headache.
And if that sounds like classic Rassie rugby roulette, it is.
The Boks have also thrown another curveball at No 8, with Marco van Staden packing down at the back of the scrum alongside Elrigh Louw and Paul de Villiers.
But Erasmus made it clear that Van Staden’s biggest assignment is not wearing the traditional No 8 hat.
“There’s not a specific role for the eighthman apart from scrumming,” the Bok boss said.
The real battlefield will be the breakdown.
“If you take Paul, Marco, Elrigh, Jasper [Wiese] if he comes on, André Esterhuizen and others, I think the breakdown battle is going to be massive.
“Marco will have a massive impact there. Like Fraser McReight and the guys in their team, there are certainly guys who can disrupt a defensive breakdown. They’re really good at that and hopefully Marco can help sort that out for us.”
With Australia boasting breakdown pests of their own, Van Staden has been handed the dirty-work job.
The Boks have also built a safety net should the pack start falling apart.
If Louw or De Villiers are forced off, Franco Mostert can move into the loose-forward mix, while captain André Esterhuizen can shift to either blindside or openside.
Then there is Jasper Wiese, waiting in the wings for his 50th Test cap.
Erasmus admitted he would have preferred to start the powerful No 8, but wanted insurance on the bench if the new-look starting combination hits turbulence.
“We’d have loved to start Jasper, but we need some security on the bench,” he said.
“We’re sure the guys who are going to start are going to be a little bit energetic and haven’t played for a while. There might be some combination hiccups.”
Up front, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Zachary Porthen will pack down either side of hooker Johan Grobbelaar.
The selections are part of Erasmus’ bigger body-management operation, with Grobbelaar getting his opportunity after Deon Fourie played three Tests in succession at 39.
“[Deon Fourie] playing three Test matches in a row at the age of 39, Grobbies deserves a chance now.”
Erasmus also stressed that Wessels and Grobbelaar have experience against Australia, adding another layer to the selection gamble.
“We’re trying to save the bodies, and manage the guys while winning but also building some squad depth.”
In Perth, therefore, the Boks are not merely taking a hammer to the Wallabies.
They are sharpening every blade in the toolbox.
And if Marx really does appear at flank, Australia could discover that Rassie’s bench has teeth in places nobody expected.
Sunday’s contest, kicking off at 11:45 SA time on SuperSport, is more than another Test. It is another examination of Erasmus’ greatest creation: a Springbok system where stars rest, leaders emerge and the conveyor belt never stops moving.
SPRINGBOKS – 15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 André Esterhuizen (c), 11 Ethan Hooker, 10 Handré Pollard, 9 Herschel Jantjies, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Elrigh Louw, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Zachary Porthen, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik Wessels.
Bench: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Ox Nché, 18 Wilco Louw, 19 Lood de Jager, 20 Jasper Wiese, 21 Morné van den Berg, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Quan Horn.