Schalk Burger believes the Springboks’ mounting injury list has defused the famed Bomb Squad and forced the starters to carry more of the load up front.

The world champions are without several heavy hitters in their pack. Steven Kitshoff’s sudden retirement was followed by long-term injuries to Frans Malherbe, Elrigh Louw, Juarno Augustus and Cameron Hanekom, while the suspended Jasper Wiese will only return for the second Test against the All Blacks in Wellington on 13 September.

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Before last week’s match against the Wallabies in Cape Town, No 8 Jean-Luc du Preez was a late withdrawal due to illness, which saw Bomb Squad regular Kwagga Smith start alongside Marco van Staden and Franco Mostert in the loose trio.

Coach Rassie Erasmus opted not to unleash his replacements at once, with locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager coming on in the 44th minute, followed by tighthead prop Wilco Louw in the 63rd. Centre André Esterhuizen was used at blindside flank from the 66th, while prop Boan Venter and hooker Marnus van der Merwe only appeared in the 70th and 77th respectively.

“We haven’t had the impact off the bench,” Burger told The Verdict podcast. “Eben and Lood came on and brought energy, but Malcolm Marx played 78 minutes [at hooker] – we’ve never seen that before under Rassie.

“We thought the Bomb Squad would come on earlier, with guys like Wilco Louw making a difference in the scrums, but he only arrived after 65 minutes. Gone are the days when almost the entire Bomb Squad was unleashed after 45.”

Burger also questioned the balance of the bench.

“André Esterhuizen came on at flank, then Australia won the ball at the back of the lineout – is he the right guy to stop a maul? That’s where we’re feeling the pinch. Franco can cover blindside, but he’s not a long-term solution. Right now he has to, because we’ve got six loose forwards out.”

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The former Bok flank believes the issue extends beyond the back row.

“Who is the next best hooker? Has Bongi [Mbonambi] slipped a bit? Jan-Hendrik Wessels is also injured. Our bench is thin, and that’s putting a lot of pressure on the starting pack to lay the platform.”

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