Rassie Erasmus reaffirms Jasper Wiese’s No 8 status despite Cameron Hanekom’s Springbok statement
Cameron Hanekom strengthened his case for a place in the Springbok team for the opening Test against New Zealand, but Rassie Erasmus has made it clear Jasper Wiese remains his first-choice No 8.
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has reaffirmed Jasper Wiese as the preferred No 8 for the upcoming Rugby World Cup opening clash against New Zealand, despite Cameron Hanekom's standout performance in the recent victory over Argentina. Hanekom, who led a physical charge for the world champions in Buenos Aires, scored the decisive try and was forced off with an injury late in the game.
However, Erasmus emphasized Wiese's primacy in the position, stating that the youngster remains the "clear number one" No 8. Hanekom's performance, along with returns from other players such as locks Lood de Jager and Eben Etzebeth, centre André Esterhuizen, and Morné van den Berg, highlighted the Springboks' depth in their loose forward stocks.
Erasmus expressed optimism about the team's chances of defeating New Zealand, acknowledging the challenges of selecting the 23-man squad while praising the performance of several players, including Etzebeth, de Jager, Esterhuizen, and van den Berg.
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