Rassie Erasmus has revealed a setback for playmaker Handré Pollard as the Springboks turn their attention to Argentina and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series next month.
Erasmus was speaking post-match on Saturday at Kings Park, after the Boks’ 43-0 demolition of Wales to close out the first half of their Nations Championship campaign.
He confirmed Pollard, Man of the Match against Scotland last week, is fit again after missing this week’s Test in Durban with a leg injury.
“Handré pulled his hamstring; he’s fit now but he wasn’t fit for this game,” Erasmus said.
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There was better news on Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, sidelined for the whole Nations Championship with an ankle injury but expected to form part of a 26-man squad to face Los Pumas in Buenos Aires on 8 August.
“We’ve got Sacha coming back now, he will go with the guys to Argentina,” Erasmus said.
A separate group stays behind to begin preparing for Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry against the All Blacks, starting 22 August.
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“Our plans will be for 26 guys to go to Argentina, and 15, 16 guys will stay behind, with one or two rehabbing, and they will start training for New Zealand,” Erasmus said. “A few coaches will stay with them.
“Argentina is going to be tough – like Wales they’ve had our number a few times, and our biggest loss was to them since we’ve been together from 2018. We are just trying to build our game, and I think today was another step forward.”
Erasmus also gave his verdict on Vusi Moyo, who at 20 years and 27 days became the youngest flyhalf in Bok history against Wales.
“He definitely played well,” the Bok boss said. “You could see there were nerves.
“He’s an accurate kicker; kicks off well but you get into a Test match like this; with a lot of people in the crowd, the ball is wet and suddenly you don’t kick it into the corners and you don’t get your kick-offs on the spot.
“I thought he handled it extremely well. But I’ve been there; in your first or second Test you’re tired because of the nerves and I thought his tyres were a little pap in the second half when we took him off.”
Photo: Johan Rynners/Getty Images
The post Polly crocked, Sacha back to tackle Pumas appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Rassie Erasmus has revealed a setback for playmaker Handré Pollard as the Springboks turn their attention to Argentina and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series next month.
The post Polly crocked, Sacha back to tackle Pumas appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
