3 November 2026
Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has defended the inclusion of physical lock Salmaan Moerat for Saturday's Test against the Azzurri in Turin. The Paarl-born second-rower returns to the starting line-up to replace the injured Eben Etzebeth. Erasmus firmly dismissed social media detractors, backing Moerat to execute his specific, high-workrate role in the engine room.
The coaching staff expects Moerat to anchor the tight-five against a bruising Italian pack. Erasmus said that the Springboks require an uncompromising grinder to do the unglamorous, heavy-duty graft up front. The coach drew strong parallels to past public backlashes faced by senior Springbok stalwarts Willie le Roux and Faf de Klerk.
“I’ve never really listened to people who talk nonsense about Salmaan because he’s not the kind of player you see on the field doing the flashy stuff, and we don't expect him to do that. We expect him to do what he always does for us,” Erasmus said. “We need a grinder like a Jean Kleyn or an RG Snyman. RG is a little bit flashier as well, but it’s something we need in the team, and Salmaan brings that to the side."
Erasmus highlighted that Moerat’s core strengths lie in stopping mauls, cleaning rucks, and solidifying the scrum. The coach acknowledged that while the public might miss these crucial details, the squad fully recognises his worth. Moerat also brings proven leadership to the pack, having previously captained the Springboks to two victories in three Tests.
“Nobody probably understands how hard he scrums, how hard he mauls, how hard he cleans out at the ruck, how physical he is and how well he stops mauls. That’s probably something you can never really explain to people,” Erasmus explained. “But we’re also not upset that people don’t see that. As long as Salmaan and his teammates know that we see it and that we value it, he’s the kind of guy we enjoy having in our team."
While Erasmus monitors local public sentiment closely, internal technical assessment ultimately dictates selection. The coaching staff remains unfazed by external selection debates ahead of the tour opener. The world champions are prioritising raw physical dominance and tactical execution over public consensus for the Turin showdown.
“Obviously, we listen to what South African people say. I’m not going to pretend we’re like other countries and say we do not get caught up in social media. I listen to it. I like South African people who have opinions about things, and I’ve certainly seen it when Willie (le Roux) got slaughtered, when Faf (de Klerk) was left out, and then I’ve also seen times when a guy has made it against the odds,” Erasmus added.