Springboks vs Wallabies: High-stakes opener to set tone for Rugby Championship

As the Springboks prepare to kick off their Rugby Championship title defence against Australia at Ellis Park this Saturday, head coach Rassie Erasmus finds himself navigating some complex choices that could significantly influence the outcome of the match.

Among the most pressing questions is whether to deploy his infamous Bomb Squad — a potent bench packed with impact players capable of turning the tide in the second half.

For the Bok guru, there are several positions he would’ve thought long and hard about ahead of naming his team on Monday.

A Bomb or Nuke squad bench is the first to weigh up. Then, there’s the eighth man position with Jasper Wiese still suspended. Wilco Louw and veteran Vincent Koch are in line for the tighthead jersey; however, youngster Asenathi Ntlabakanye also put his hand up in the mid-year matches.

The other conundrum is at lock where the five-jersey has a couple of very capable occupants to man the heart of the Bok engine alongside veteran Eben Etzebeth, should Erasmus decide on unleashing his strongest team. Lood de Jager looked back to his best, while Franco Mostert is also a strong contender. Judging by how De Jager went in his comeback matches, he’s likely in the inside lane to continue his partnership with Etzebeth.

However, Erasmus has options to choose from, and while he said they will opt for more consistent selections in the tournament, there will be opportunities for him to experiment with certain selections.

The Wallabies do not have a good track record in South Africa over the last few seasons, and having the opener at Ellis Park could open the door for the Boks to overpower them with a proper Bomb Squad replacement bench. That will ensure that they have a fresh pack for the second half, which can turn on the screws to close out the match.

At the back, the Springboks should be more settled when it comes to their combinations for the next two matches.

They’ve rotated their backline really well, and whoever Erasmus selects will be able to hold the fort. He has the option of a centre pairing of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel, or André Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie.

Then, the flyhalf selection will also be an interesting choice and depending on how the Boks want to play, Manie Libbok or Handré Pollard can man the jersey. However, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was excellent during the tournament last season, and he remains a strong contender, alongside the more experienced pivots.

The Wallabies will bring a bit of unpredictability with a few new players joining the fray. And having picked up some confidence during their Lions clashes, they will be eager to break their win drought in South Africa. They would’ve studied the clashes against Italy and Georgia, but how much they would learn from it remains to be seen.

That is because Erasmus made it as difficult as possible for sides to decipher his team by not sticking to the same selections weekly. That could be one of the things that makes the Boks unpredictable in this tournament.

Everything will be about building a strong platform for the South Africans as they look to defend their Rugby Championship title. Maintaining their spot in the top three on the world rankings will also be crucial, although the Boks won’t really put too much emphasis on it.

A strong ranking at the end of the year, when the pools will be drawn for the 2027 Rugby World Cup, could put the world champions in line for an easier group stage for the tournament in Australia.