Rassie goes rogue at prop with his Bok selections

Published

9 months ago

28th October 2025

Rassie Erasmus continues to entertain with his Bok selections, writes Mark Keohane.

Wilco Louw comes off the bench at tighthead and Pieter-Steph du Toit does not make the match 23 for Saturday’s Springboks Test against Japan at Wembley. Forgive me, but this is not the Springboks best, but a hit-out for the biggest Tests against France and Ireland in November.

The Boks will win – and win well.

There’s enough into match 23 to tell you who plays agains France, in a fortnight from Saturday.

Louw shows he is the ultimate team man to front, accept, and be secondary, for this match, to a national teammate, who is not the starting No 3 at his club.

Zachary Porthen, the SA juniors leader, is a player with heaps of potential.

To even consider him a better starting option than Louw, the injured Neethling and Frans Malherbe, and Thomas du Toit, is a laugh.

He will play on Saturday and possibly not again on tour.

Yes, an investment, but right now he is a Rassie toy.

For the rest, most of the line-up is what I expect to see against France and Ireland, the big two Tests of this five-Test November adventure.

Zels, for two years, has called for Cheslin Kolbe to start at 15. Injuries have agreed to this.

The rest is standard fare.

Eben Etzebeth will return for Paris and Dublin, as will most the playing 23.

Franco Mostert, such a servant for the Boks, since 2018, gets a start at Wembley. He needs big game or a fond farewell from Test rugby.

For the rest, Erasmus has entrusted the core of those players who won the Springboks a historic back to back Castle Rugby Championship.

Siya Kolisi starts in his 99th Test and a win, as captain, makes him the most successful in the history of Springboks rugby.

Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel start in the midfield, and there is no place in the match 23 for Bulls utility back Canan Moodie.