South Africa - Autumn Nations Series Preview
Preview
South Africa roll into the Autumn Nations series off the back of mixed results. The incredible high of securing another Lions series was met with the disappointment of losing two consecutive tests to Australia and the 100th Test against the All Blacks. However, the feeling is back on a high as their latest result was a monumental victory against the All Blacks which, albeit temporarily, had propelled them back to the top of the World Rugby rankings. The Bokke will be happy with no less than a perfect tour up North.
The Squad named for the Autumn Series has very few surprises, just Salmaan Moerat and Grant Williams are uncapped, in a team that otherwise boasts a barrage of caps, RWC Gold medals, and most recently a Lions series win. There are however, some exciting prospects which many fans will be hoping will get their chance to shine during this Autumn window. Cell C Sharks winger Aphelele Fassi will be looking to add to his 2 Springbok caps and start to show that he is the future of South Africa on the wing. There will be other, slightly more capped youngsters that will also be looking to present themselves as long-term options in their respective starting positions. Damian Willemse, Herschel Jantjies and Ox Nche are all already household names, but their ambitions will certainly be to propel themselves into full time starters rather than cameo performers. The trio get an immediate chance to prove their case, all starting against Wales in their 6th of November Clash at the Millenium Stadium.
The rest of the squad boasts the usual South African stars and suggests that their playing style will not vary from what has brought them so much success in the last 24 months.
South Africa play Wales, Scotland, and a mouthwatering Final rematch against England. All three fixtures will no doubt be physical test matches where South Africa will look to impose their choking defence and slowly run their opponents out of options. However, the lineup for the Wales game and the expectation that some of the aforementioned youngsters will have a greater chance to make their mark on the coveted Springbok jersey, suggests that they may play more towards the traits of their young stars. Willemse and Jantjies are both gamebreak type players, and Ox Nche is a dynamic ball-carrier. The more experienced but equally exciting Cobus Reinach has been recalled into the squad following Faf De Klerk’s injury and he also boasts a ferocious running game. Thus, whilst South Africa is not going to be playing Fijian style Rugby, I’d expect their gamebreakers to try and seize more of the opportunities that are created by their dominant pack rather than look to solely pressure teams into errors through tactical kicks and box-kicks. Herschel is a fantastic player but certainly is not quite at Faf’s level with the box-kick and thus I do not expect it to be nearly as prevalent as in the Lions series and Rugby championship. In the Scotland game, the Boks will need to be particularly wary of giving free ball to a dangerous back three and the creativity of mercurial fly-half Finn Russell.
Although the Wales and Scotland games will be exciting, the clash everyone is looking forward to is the RWC Final rematch with England. In this game, there’s no doubt we’ll see both teams look to dominate the collisions and the tempo of the game. The speed of the ruck for England’s power game will no doubt be challenged by South Africa’s gainline stoppers. This game will be full of emotion and key for South Africa to finish off the 2021 test scene on a high.
Prediction: W / W / L
South Africa
Squad (Position/ Club / Caps*)
Forwards
Lood De Jager - Sale Sharks / Lock / 53
Thomas Du Toit - Cell C Sharks / Prop / 13
Joseph Dweba - Bordeaux-Begles / Hooker / 1
Eben Etzebeth - Toulon / Lock / 94
Steven Kitshoff - Stormers / Prop / 56
Vincent Koch - Saracens / Prop / 28
Siya Kolisi © - Cell C Sharks / Back-row / 60
Malcolm Marx - Kubota Spears / Hooker / 43
Bongi Mbonambi - Stormers / Hooker / 45
Salmaan Moerat - Stormers / Lock / Uncapped
Franco Mostert - Honda Heat / Lock / 48
Ox Nche - Cell C Sharks / Prop / 6
Trevor Nyakane - Vodacom Bulls / Prop / 51
Marvin Orie - Stormers / Lock / 7
Kwagga Smith - Yamaha Jubilo / Back-row / 16
Marco Van Staden - Leicester Tigers / Back row / 16
Duane Vermuelen - Ulster / Back-row / 58
Jasper Wiese - Leicester Tigers / Back-row / 8
Backs
Lukhanyo Am - Cell C Shark / Centre / 23
Damian De Allende - Munster / Centre / 55
Aphelele Fassi - Cell C Sharks / Winger / 2
Elton Jantjies - Docomo Red Hurricanes / Fly-half / 41
Herschel Jantjies - Stormers / Scrum-half / 18
Jesse Kriel - Canon Eagles / Centre / 48
Willie Le Roux - Toyota Verblitz / Full-back / 70
Makazole Mapimpi - Cell C / Wing / 22
Sbu Nkosi - Cell C Sharks / Wing / 16
Handre’ Pollard - Montpellier / Fly-half / 57
Cobus Reinach - Montpellier / Scrum-half / 18
Frans Steyn - Toyota Cheetahs / Centre / 71
Damian Willemse - Stormers / Fly-half / 14
Grant Williams - Cell C Sharks / Scrum-half / / Uncapped
*Caps as of 2nd October 2021