Rassie to freshen up? New-look Springboks will be hungry to perform

LAST week, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus signalled that he would freshen up his side for Saturday’s Test against Italy in Turin. After the pressure-cooker encounter against France in Paris, he will be doubly keen to give sore bodies a rest.

- MIKE GREENAWAY

It is not about underestimating the Italians — far from it. The Azzurri impressed in their win over Australia last week, a team that had earlier beaten the Boks at Ellis Park this year.

Two factors are expected to guide Erasmus when he names his match-day 23 on Thursday afternoon: the need to rest key players ahead of next week’s crunch clash with Ireland in Dublin, and the desire to reward the wider Springbok squad on tour.

Trust in his backup players has been a hallmark of Erasmus’ tenure.

When given a chance, the replacements often seize the opportunity with such intensity that first-choice players suddenly find themselves under pressure.

A prime example is the outside centre position. At the start of this season, Jesse Kriel seemed untouchable, even captaining the team. But when he was rested to give Canan Moodie a shot, Moodie’ performance was so impressive that Kriel found his place under threat.