Rassie Erasmus ‘nervous but excited’ as 2027 Rugby World Cup quest begins for Springboks

It feels like the Springboks won the 2023 Rugby World Cup just the other day, but two years later, they will begin their thrilling quest for the ‘three-peat’ in earnest tomorrow with the first alignment camp of 2025.

The 2027 World Cup in Australia is looming large on the horizon, and this is the year that coach Rassie Erasmus and his management have to cut the wheat from chaff as he starts shaping the squad that will travel Down Under to clinch the Webb Ellis Cup for an unprecedented third time in a row and fifth overall.

The world champions will gather in Cape Town today ahead of the start of the first alignment camp tomorrow in the Mother City, and 56 players have been invited to get all the insights on the plans for the 2025 international season.

But the bigger picture of the 2027 World Cup is also at the back of Erasmus’ mind, and he said this week that the goal of a third consecutive title is one he is embracing fully.

Erasmus, though, is fully aware of the demands from SA fans and expectations that go with it.

“It’s lekker. You are nervous, and sometimes you don’t sleep well,” the Bok boss said about the quest for 2027.

“You read an article and you think – we do read articles and the media. And I was honest with you when I spoke about that ‘Stronger Together’ slogan, because I really believe that the triangle works like that.

“You don’t always see that with the overseas media, but with our media, I don’t think there is someone who wants to see us lose.

“So, if our access is good enough... Of course if we do lose, then the guys will be on our cases.

“I am very realistic: I know how quickly things can change. But the pressure that we deal with is that the people are behind us.

“If the people find a fault, then go and look at it a bit – maybe some of them are right. So, we’ve had pressure as underdogs, no-chancers, as favourites, no crowd at the British and Irish Lions games...

“So, I won’t say we are getting used to the pressure. But this year is one of the toughest schedules ever, and we actually want to play 15 games as you want to press a few guys through that pressure-cooker and see what comes out on the other side.

“It’s a bit nervy, but actually more of an excited nervousness than oh-hell nervous.”

Earlier this week, Erasmus explained that the Boks are hoping to play 15 matches – 14 Tests and one in late June against the Barbarians – which would give him the opportunity to give a number of contenders reasonable game-time to mount a challenge for a regular berth.

At the same time, he is mindful of the fact that the more experienced campaigners need to be managed carefully if they are going to make it to Australia in two years’ time.

Some, like the 35-year-old fullback Willie le Roux – who is in line to move from 98 Test caps to reach his century this year – may not be kept in the mix after reaching his milestone, but it all depends on their performances this year.

Erasmus mentioned 34-year-old wing Makazole Mapimpi as someone who recorded his fastest speed in training for the Boks ahead of a recent match, so it is not totally out of the realm for the older statesmen from the Class of 2023 to make it to 2027.

Asked if there is any specific position that he is concerned about, Erasmus said: “I won’t say there’s a position that keeps me up, but things like injuries, maybe someone not playing enough at his franchise maybe because of rotation, maybe playing with an injury, maybe playing out of position...

“It’s not that we’re moaning about anything, but everybody can see that we have a helluva lot of hookers.

“But all of them are possible Springbok players, that can play a lot of Springbok Test matches. That’s why a guy like Deon Fourie is in there, because we need someone who can put up their hand and say ‘Hey, I’m standing out above the rest’.

“That’s why we want these assessments back post-games, and also what we want to share with them now with our team-selection protocol.

“He must have a point of difference. It’s not a worry... At flyhalf, we know Manie (Libbok) is injured, Handré (Pollard) is only (going to turn) 31 (on Tuesday) now – that’s nothing compared to what Johnny Sexton was playing at 38.

“We’ve got Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu), Damian (Willemse), Manie, Jordan (Hendrikse). Centres, we’ve got enough. Wing looks thin, and Mapimpi’s not the youngest guy, but he clocked his fastest speed the other day in a GPS when he played for us.

“So, he’s not getting slower, which is good, but then we’ve got Canan (Moodie) who can play wing, Jesse (Kriel) who can play wing.

“That’s why Jonny Roche, Ethan Hooker, Jurenzo (Julius) and those guys gives us options.

“At fullback, Damian, Willie can play there, but (Aphelele) Fassi is injured, Damian is injured.

“So, nothing is like ‘Oh, I’m worried’, but some guys need to put up their hand now.”

After the alignment camp, the players will go back to their franchises for the remainder of the United Rugby Championship and Challenge Cup campaigns before the Boks reassemble for the Barbarians game in late June and the incoming Tests against Italy (July 5 and 12 in Pretoria and Gqeberha respectively) and Georgia (July 19 in Mbombela).

You would think that the youngsters will get a run in these games, with the stalwarts returning for the Rugby Championship opener against Australia at Ellis Park on August 16, but that might not be the case entirely.

“I think it’s going to be a bit of both (youngsters and experienced players),” Erasmus said about selection for the first few games of the year.

“The players must buy into that. The older players must know that if you want to prolong your career, you won’t play in every single Test match now and still make 2027.

“So, help the young guys. And the young guys must know that they want to learn from the old guys, but if I get better than that guy, I’m going to take his position – that must also be the attitude.

“If we do rotate squads, if you have the right guys in the group... That’s why the group is so wide now. The first mind-shift that has to be made is that we’re all in it – we all eat at the end of the day.

“When we go to the World Cup draw at the end of the year, it’s a bit different.

“It’s six pools with four teams, and there is now a round of 16, which can be really tough. So, it’s important I think where we finish at the end of the year, and we have to balance that with young guys and with old guys.

“But again, we don’t want to cut out a guy now because he’s not going to make 2027 – but he’s still number one or two in his position.

“But then also, we have to only play him in a third or half of the games, and give the young guy enough opportunity to be ready in 2027.

“And then, while saying all of that, keep on trying to win.”