Springboks' versatile player Andre Esterhoizen will lead the South African team against Australia on Sunday. Head coach Rassie Erasmus aims to expand his group of leaders ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Rassie Erasmus believes that due to Andre Esterhoizen's versatility, experience, and leadership qualities, he is the ideal candidate for the captaincy of South Africa in the upcoming friendly match in Perth. Esterhoizen will be the 68th player to represent the Springboks.
In the match against the Wallabies, Erasmus made 13 changes to the starting lineup after a series of four matches against the All Blacks.
The 32-year-old athlete captains the Sharks in the United Rugby Championship (URC) and Champions Cup tournaments, establishing himself as one of the most multi-functional players in the World Cup squad. He has been used in the positions of centre forward, loose forward, and as a hybrid substitute player.
For Erasmus, handing over the captaincy to Esterhoizen is also part of a broader plan to develop the team's leadership structure before the 2027 World Cup. Alongside captains Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, and other veterans such as Handre Pollard and Jesse Kriel, the Boks will ensure a strong core of leaders.
Reasons for Erasmus's choice of Esterhoizen
Erasmus explained during the press conference announcing the squad on Tuesday that the issue was not about choosing a captain, but rather how to bring together senior players so that everyone has a unified voice.
He noted that a player like Eben always brings the same positive atmosphere, wisdom, and calmness to the team, regardless of whether he is the captain. He also emphasized that Andre always knows what he is doing when he is on the field. Although Jesse Kriel is not currently playing, he was previously a captain, and Siya also held this position. Thus, the team is working on forming its leadership circle.
Erasmus added that Andre captained the Sharks and was the player who always took on any task, whether playing as a hybrid player or playing alongside Damian de Allende and Damian Willemse, sometimes playing a lot, and then agreeing to play as a forward and an influential player. The coach wants to see him in this situation against a strong Australian team.
In Erasmus's opinion, it is not only an honor for Esterhoizen to receive the captaincy but will also help the team in the future, approaching the World Cup, by having more players who understand what it means to lead the Springboks.
Erasmus also pointed out Esterhoizen's leadership qualities during his time at the Sharks, especially when the Durban franchise was going through difficult times. Despite a tough season in the URC and Champions Cup, under Esterhoizen's leadership as captain and head coach JP Pietersen, they showed strong performances.
Springboks made 13 changes
Considering the 13 changes to the starting lineup, the coach understands that the new team may need time to find its rhythm. Since many players had limited game time in the international season, the Boks will have to establish cohesion after Erasmus largely maintained previous combinations during the 'Great Rugby Rivalry' series.
Handre Pollard and Herschel Jantjies will form a new pairing in the playmaker and scrum-half positions. Furthermore, the Boks will field a young combination in the front row: hooker Johan Grobbelaar, tighthead prop Zacharie Potten, and loosehead Jan-Hendrik Vessels. Kanan Moody will also get the opportunity to play at outside centre, while Edwill van der Merwe will take his place on the wing.
Erasmus noted that the previous strategy of constantly using the same team against the All Blacks allowed them to gain momentum. However, he questioned how the team would learn about the potential of new players by the end of the year for the World Cup or the next World Cup if they continued this way.
He recalled the game in Argentina where many of these players participated, and it was a disjointed and uncoordinated performance. In his opinion, they will not start the game with maximum effort, but he is confident that they are highly motivated and want to play, as they have been in a state of rest for a long time. He also noted that since some players had game experience, he hopes the start will not be too difficult, and that Australia has not played for 300 minutes in the last three weeks.
Springboks squad against Australia
Starting lineup:
The starting XV includes: 15 Apelele FASSI, 14 Edwill van der MERWE, 13 Kanan MOODY, 12 Andre ESTERHOIZEN (captain), 11 Ethan HOOKER, 10 Handre POLLARD, 9 Herschel JANTJIES, 8 Marco van Staden, 7 Elrig Louw, 6 Paul de Villiers, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Zacharie POTTEN, 2 Johan Grobbelaar, 1 Jan-Hendrik VESSELS. Reserves: 16 Malcolm Marks, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vilko Louw, 19 Lud de Jager, 20 Jasper Wise, 21 Morne van den Berg, 22 Sasha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Kwan Horn.
