Rugby World Cup 2027: South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has once again emphasized the value of depth in his Springboks squad. Pointing to the remarkable number of players he has used over the past two seasons. After selecting 51 players in 2024, Erasmus continued that trend this year by calling on 49 different players.
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Something he says is part of a clear long-term plan with the Rugby World Cup 2027 in mind. On Thursday, Erasmus named his final Springboks squad of the year for Saturday’s clash against Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Because the match falls outside the official Test window, South Africa were always going to be without several star names. Still, the coach views this situation not as an obstacle but as an opportunity to test new combinations and broaden the team’s talent pool. A long list of first-choice players was unavailable due to club commitments.
That includes World Rugby Player of the Year Malcolm Marx, as well as Boan Venter, RG Snyman, and Pieter-Steph du Toit. Grant Williams, Handré Pollard, Manie Libbok, Jesse Kriel, Cheslin Kolbe, and Edwill van der Merwe. Missing so many starters would worry most coaches, but Erasmus has instead used it to accelerate the growth of younger and less-experienced players.
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Rugby World Cup: New Faces Shine as Springboks Build Toward 2027
One of those emerging talents is winger Ethan Hooker. He made his South Africa debut earlier this year against Italy in July. And has quickly worked his way into the conversation for a regular place in Erasmus’ preferred starting XV. Replacement props Zachary Porthen and Asenathi Ntlabakanye have also earned their first Test caps this year.
Further demonstrating the depth being built by the two-time world champions. We’ve used a total of 49 players in Test matches this season, which is a testament to the depth we have been developing with an eye on the Rugby World Cup 2027.
Erasmus said when announcing the squad. We knew from the outset that we would lose players for this match due to their club commitments, and we are pleased with the quality of the team we’ve selected.
The Springboks boss added that the team’s consistent rotation policy throughout the year has helped make the squad more adaptable. Many of the combinations for the Wales match have been training together for nearly five weeks, which has allowed players to settle into their roles.
Meanwhile, newcomers like Porthen and Ntlabakanye have shown enough promise to earn further opportunities. Erasmus also expressed gratitude toward South Africa’s provincial unions and the overseas clubs who agreed to release players for this final Test of the year.
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Rugby World Cup Final: Boks Wrap Up Tour as Australian Sevens Plot Roache’s Comeback
I’d like to thank the provincial unions and clubs who released these players to represent the country this weekend. So we could field a strong side capable of finishing off our November tour on a high note, he said. While Erasmus and the Springboks focus on closing out their season with another strong performance, Australian rugby has its own comeback story unfolding.
Dietrich Roache, one of Australia’s brightest Sevens talents. Spoke with genuine excitement at the 2024 Rugby Australia Awards earlier this year as he looked ahead to the new HSBC SVNS Series. But just weeks later, disaster struck. A serious knee injury ended his season before it even started.
On November 27, Australia Sevens confirmed that Roache would miss the entire 2024–25 SVNS Series. The squad travelled the world without him, starting their campaign in Dubai while he remained in Australia to begin a long and difficult rehabilitation journey.
Roache admitted that he instantly knew he had suffered a significant injury, but accepting it emotionally took longer. As teammates continued competing on the international circuit, he faced both physical.
And mental struggles, especially after years of defining himself primarily as a rugby player and Tokyo Olympian. Now, 13 months later, Roache is preparing to return. After missing last year’s Dubai Sevens. He is set to step onto the same field on November 29–30, feeling fully confident in his body again.
I definitely had my personal battles, a lot mentally, just growing as an individual, Roache told RugbyPass. Throughout my rehab, I made it a goal not to just come back the same Dietrich I wanted to come back better than I was before.
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