The Springboks have never looked stronger between World Cups, writes MARK KEOHANE.
Writing for the Sunday Times, Keohane says Erasmus’ “win, grow and expand” philosophy has ensured South Africa’s back-to-back world champions are evolving without sacrificing results.
“Good enough right now is a priority,” he notes, with the Boks maintaining an 80% win rate while introducing more than 60 players across the past 20 Tests.
Erasmus has blooded a new generation across every position – from Zachary Porthen and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to Ethan Hooker and Cameron Hanekom – while trusting proven veterans to lead and mentor.
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“The heroes of the 2019 and 2023 World Cup-winning campaigns have not been ejected,” Keohane writes. “This is not how Erasmus operates.”
Only two positions remain unsettled: scrumhalf and hooker. Grant Williams has emerged as a contender at No 9, while Marnus van der Merwe, Andre-Hugo Venter and Johann Grobbelaar are jostling to succeed Malcolm Marx and Bongi Mbonambi.
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Keohane concludes that Erasmus’ blueprint “is not restricted by age, but guided by belief and form.”
The Boks, he says, are building a world-class machine capable of chasing history — three World Cup titles in a row.