The aim is to have the two best teams in the world…in one squad

Now this is winner think:

Head coach Rassie Erasmus opted to rotate some key starting positions in the Springboks' victory over Scotland on Sunday, benching captain Siya Kolisi and flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit, which has been a common theme under his management of the team since taking charge in 2017.

Their opening Autumn Nations Series victory also put them back on top of the world rankings after Ireland's defeat by New Zealand on Friday.

"One of the good things is that everyone is getting game time now," Esterhuizen, who played instead of regular centre Damian de Allende on Sunday, told the BBC's Rugby Union Weekly podcast.

"It it also about looking forward, you've got to be able to spare all the guys for the next World Cup and build experience into it.

"The aim is to have the two best teams in the world, all in one squad.

"We want to make it second nature for people slotting in, so if someone steps in, they can just slot in and play the same if not better than the other player."

South Africa won this year's Rugby Championship for the first time since 2019, losing one match away to Argentina when Erasmus left the majority of his starting XV at home.

Erasmus previously said he would "rather win the World Cup than sit at an 85% win rate", external after criticism of his side's record between successful World Cups. 

"It is very much a team first environment," South Africa defence coach Jerry Flannery told BBC Sport.

"The players coach each other, the 'team first' mentality is stronger here than I have come across.

"Players have come in this year and couldn't believe it was all about making sure the team wins."

That’s all well and good if the players you are bringing in are young

If Fassi is the incumbent now then why is 35 year old Willie playing

If Kolbe and Arendse are our incumbents then what’s the point of playing 34 year old Mapimpi

If de Allende and Kriel are the centre incumbents then what’s the point of 30 year olds Esterhuizen and Am playing

If Hendrikse or Williams are the incumbent 9’s then what’s the point of playing 34 year old Reinach

If Malherbe is our incumbent 3 then what’s the point of 34 year old Koch

At lock, clearly Eben and RG are our best two so what’s the point of 34 year old Mostert and 31 year old Kleyn being part of the mix

Rassie’s idea is a great one but his execution is fucked up

Select your best 23 regardless of age then place an emphasis on youth for your next 23.

This is how I would be doing it. My best 23 would be:

15. Willemse 14. Kolbe 13. Am 12. de Allende 11. Arendse 10. Sacha 9. Williams 1. Ox 2. Marx 3. Malherbe 4. Etzebeth 5. RG 6. Kolisi 7. PSDT 8. Roos

16. Bongi 17. Kitshoff 18. Wilco 19. Lood 20. Kwagga 21. Hendrikse 22. Pollard 23. Esterhuizen

Next 23 would be:

15. Fassi 14. Moodie 13. Jurenzo Julius 12. David Kriel 11. Green 10. Libbok 9. Papier 1. Steenkamp 2. Dweba 3. Thomas 4. Jenkins 5. Ruben v Heerden 6. Hanekom 7. Elrigh Louw 8. Wiese

16. AH Venter 17. Wessels 18. Sadie 19. Ruan Vermaak 20. Emmanuel Tsituka 21. Nohamba 22. Jordan Hendrikse 23. Ethan Hooker

Surely this makes far more sense - you still have the experienced starting side with a few youngsters in the mix and a youthful second 23 being eased in.

There is no way in hell Mapimpi, Kriel, Reinach, Koch, Mostert and Kleyn are indispensable and better than the younger players mentioned

So a match against Scotland could have been a mix of your best 23 and the youthful 23, the game against England your best 23 and the one against Wales your youthful 23

It’s not rocket science

Dave

There's a few other options in selecting a team with future security in mind other than the two you've selected, my personal choice is to  blend the youth with the old in both teams. But there also needs to be some culling of players as part of the plan. Bongi, Van Staden and Kolisi have to be axed, you can't teach an old dog new tricks so Pollard and De Allende need to be benched, Libbok needs to swim or drown if Rassie is persisting with him. Pollard and De Allende stifle the fluency and creativity of a Williams, Moodie, Arendse and Kolbe backline.

Dave, Rassie is sentimental and wants to give Willie his 100 caps. He was talking about giving Quorn Horn a proper crack at 15 as he sees him as the next 15 behind Fassi. I have to agree that this is a waste of time. I know it is harsh, but many players have fallen short of 100 caps. That is the only down side of his approach is his loyalty to players. Once you in the club you are in the club. Hard for players to break through or get a proper crack. We saw how Libbok, at the time the best 10, had to sit behind Jantjies and didn't even get invited to the alignment camps. It was only after Jantjies completely imploded after only playing 20 min all season and then cost the boks the game. His message is, you support the team now, once you are in the system you will not be dropped out of the squad. Unfortunately or fortunately, Jantjies couldn't keep his hands of the support staff and that probably was the final straw. So he threw it all away for some dieticians special Koek. 

If Willie wants to play at the next World Cup, I'm sure Rassie will keep him in the squad. 

For me it is a crime not having someone like Tyrone Green in the team. He has been playing out of his skin these last couple of years since moving to Harlequins  

DDassie's a sentimentalist & reckons that there are plenty of games before the  RWC for contenders to make a mark, rugby's more than game, Willie deserves to get his 100 & I say bravo to that.................. probably scores some points with the majority of his players as well.

In all Teams there is some older guys that bring experience. It’s the balance that is important.

Right now Teams like the AB and OZ have predominantly new younger guys with less experienced, but they are on the up.

They play very well and holding there own with the best teams in the world.

So this extreme reliance on predominantly older players is overrated.

The Balance in the Bok squad is totally off. We are still sitting with a big chunk of players coming from the HM era.

The natural progression has been halted and has the consequence that we are lagging behind in building for the future.

The degree of professionalism is being discarded for false Sentimentalism. Yes be loyal, but not to the detriment of progress.

In that sense reasoning that there is still plenty of time for recruitment, is a false sense of security.

Seasoned players that feel they can still hang around at the expense of the future generations, is regression and not progress.

You have had your time so move on and stop being selfish in your own gain.

Rassie should know better and should stop hanging on to long causing a backlog of natural progression.

If Rassie really is this genius people claim him to be, he will surely make the necessary personal changes.

If not, this will ultimately be his downfall.

He's no genius, not if he makes 11 changes to his starting lineup.

Yes Denny that is what I’m saying - Willie, Mapimpi, Reinach, Koch and Mostert have to go from an age perspective and useless v Staaden has to go as he is shit

I 100% disagree with you on de Allende he is class and vital for the Boks

As I said, had Rassie selected a better squad then the Scottish side could have been a blend of youth and experience so a little bit of experimentation there, the game against England could have been his best side, no experimentation there and the game against Wales a chance to blood the youngster - fully experimental

Instead Rassie chose a YEOT squad comprising a bunch of old farts only slightly adjusted by injuries that saw the younger Jordan Hendrikse and Hanekom being introduced

Rassie says that Van Staaden is good on the ball....hell knows what that's suppose to mean.

He effects the odd turnover but does fuck all else of note

He is ineffective dumb muscle

There might be another one but I reckon there's only five players who carry the forwards, Etzebeth, Ox, Marx, PSDT and RG......Malherbe perhaps?

My, my, my ignorant oaks are having their daily go at Rassie. 

There is plenty of time before the next RWC. One Pundit was saying Rassie needs Lee's than a year to get whatever his next  RWC is firing. 

Right now we have a blend of young and old. Willie Le Roux passing on his great knowledge to Fassi. Experienced players coaching tbe youngsters. 

Quote possibly Willie will retire from the Boks  next year even though he is still playing great rugby. 

One point the ignorant Rassie bashers are over looking is that due to improved training methods etc players are able to perform at older ages than in years before. It's a far more professional environment where everything is looked at. This has definitely happen in tennis were previously 30 was considered old. 

One thing I know for certain is that certain oaks here complained bitterly about the Bok rugby Cup wins under Rassie. 

They complained about the 17 point win against Scotland. They ignored the fact that Rassie has engineered a situation where a reasonably fresh side should play England. 

After all  these years of Rassie at tbe helm it's very evident that he is far smarter than his critics on this board. How many times have Rassie's critics crashed and burned. They have had the EGG land again and again.

So could the bone heads here who love to pretend the know more than Rassie, have better information than Rassie has to assess maters etc please pipe down. 

Give yourself the chance not to make clowns of yourself time and again. Hahahahahahaha. 

Man it's hilarious to see these halfbkaes going after Rassie day by day. No matter how many times they have to eat humble pie they are are back the next day as if nothing has happened. Unfortunately for them all Rasdie's record is there for all to see. AND of course so is theirs. 

Their main object in life it to prove Rassie wrong and how great they are. However they achieve precisely the opposite!!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAGA. Hilarious nonsense ftom these loons. 

But you say Rassie is not above. Criticism. Well sure but these anti Rassie rants going on day after day against such an evidently very great coach gives you buffoons away. Try and see yourself and your serious lack of rugby acumen  objectively but sit down and take a tranquilizer before doing do. Hahahahahahaha. 

How utterly embarrassing. 

Benno bursting over bloated egoes, bringing reality to those with no self awareness!