In a "leaked" SARU document it was disclosed that two matches for an SA "A" team are planned in July 2022 against still an undisclosed opposition. These matches will be played on Wednesday during the tour of Wales to South Africa.
This will be good news for several youngsters that has been knocking on the Springbok door without any success during the 2020 season. Hopefully, these matches will be used to give players like Evan Roos, Elrigh Louw, Phepsi Buthelezi and Jordan Hendrikse, to just name a few, to prove themselves against international opposition.
Rassie Erasmus stated in one of his videos that to win the World Cup 2023 the "right" players must be selected and that does not necessarily mean the "best" players. This closed the door for some of our top talents to become a Springbok before the 2023 World Cup in France.
This raised the question if the "best" player does not get the opportunity to prove that he is the "right" player, how will anybody that is not included in the current Springbok squad prove to Springbok management that he is indeed the "best" and "right" player.
What unfortunately is not guaranteed, is the selection criteria for the South African "A" sides. If the selection criteria are not to work with up and coming players but rather to give game time to players from the current squad then the exercise once again will be of no value.
Is this the message the current Springbok selection want our up and coming stars to hear?
Springbok Jaques Nienaber paid a lot of lip service and stated that if a player was good enough he will be selected. Unfortunately, several players were overlooked after proving weekend after weekend that they were not only good enough but they were also significantly better than the current Springboks that was selected.
If the current selection process is not dramatically changed we will see a lot of talented players like Dylan Richardson that will opt to represent another country rather than having to wait for the next World Cup and the new Springbok coaching regime.
Provisional Springbok Fixtures for 2021 (Venues is still to be confirmed):
09/07/2022 Springboks vs Wales
13/07/2022 SA "A" vs undisclosed opponents
16/07/2022 Springboks vs Wales
20/07/2022 SA "A" vs undisclosed opponents
23/07/2022 Springboks vs Wales
06/08/2022 Springboks vs All Blacks
13/08/2022 Springboks vs All Blacks
20/08/2022 Springboks vs Argentina
03/09/2022 Springboks vs Argentina
10/09/2022 Springboks vs Australia
24/09/2022 Springboks vs Australia
05/11/2022 Ireland vs Springboks
12/11/2022 France vs Springboks
19/11/2022 Italy vs Springboks
26/11/2022 England vs Springboks