Schalk Burger believes that the Springboks\u2019 depth is being stretched, and it is having an impact on the influence that the bench is having.<\/p>\n
Rassie Erasmus\u2019 back-row stocks have been hit particularly hard in the build-up to and during the Rugby Championship, with Elrigh Louw, Juarno Augustus, and Cameron Hanekom ruled out for the entirety of the competition, while Jasper Wiese missed the opening rounds due to suspension.<\/p>\n
Matters only got worse when Siya Kolisi and Pieter-Steph du Toit both missed the second Test against the Wallabies, while Jean-Luc du Preez fell ill before the game in Cape Town.<\/p>\n
This led to Kwagga Smith starting in the number eight jumper against the Wallabies, while Andre Esterhuizen was drafted onto the bench and continued his development as a \u2018hybrid player\u2019, featuring in the victory in the Mother City as a back-rower.<\/p>\n
Affects our Bomb Squad the most<\/p>\n
Burger feels that the mounting injuries in the squad, as well as Erasmus\u2019 tinkering of the Springboks<\/a> team from match to match, have influenced the impact that the famed Bomb Squad and replacements have had on matches against the Wallabies.<\/p>\n He was also left shocked by the fact that hooker Malcolm Marx played almost the entire 80 minutes, a rarity for the Boks since Erasmus returned to the fold.<\/p>\n Fellow legendary Springbok Jean de Villiers asked Burger, on The Verdict podcast<\/a>, whether the injuries and late changes played a role in the areas where Erasmus\u2019 men were poor against the Wallabies in Cape Town.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, I think it actually affects our Bomb Squad the most,\u201d Burger<\/a> replied.<\/p>\n \u201cWe haven\u2019t had the impact off the bench. This weekend, Eben and Lood came on, and they fired up, but Malcolm Marx played 78 minutes. We haven\u2019t seen that under Rassie forever.<\/p>\n \u201cWe thought the Bomb Squad would come early and see if they could have a benefit like Wilco Louw at scrum time, he also came on like 65 minutes, gone are 45 minutes straight sub \u2013 do the full Bomb Squad.<\/p>\n \u201cAndre Esterhuizen came on at flank, Australia win the ball at the back \u2013 is Andre Esterhuizen the right guy to stop a maul? And they score.<\/p>\n \u201cI think that\u2019s where it has been hitting us hardest.\u201d<\/p>\n Springboks legend: The \u2018worrying stat\u2019 about South Africa\u2019s defence that has been \u2018massively exposed\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n Pressure on starters<\/p>\n Burger agrees with Japan boss Eddie Jones that the Springboks<\/a> are currently going through a transition period with their squad but adds that the depth is being stretched and it\u2019s putting added pressure on the starting players to lay down a good platform.<\/p>\n \u201cWe know that Franco Mostert can cover the role at blindside flanker for us, but is he a long-term solution? No, but he has to at the moment because we\u2019ve got six players out at loose forward. Our depth up front, especially, is stretched, and we\u2019re also in a critical phase, and it\u2019s always going to happen where we\u2019ve got a transition,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n \u201cWho is the next best hooker? Has Bongi taken a step back? Jan-Hendrik Wessels was also injured, our bench is stretched, and that\u2019s putting a lot of pressure on the starters to lay the platform.\u201d<\/p>\n