As Springboks Advance in World Cup Play, Reserves Push for Starting Roles

South Africa’s B-team excelled against Canada, quarterfinals await.

On Tuesday in Japan, the Springboks were lethal in their group’s last match, thrashing Canada, 66-7, to qualify for quarterfinal play in the 2019 Rugby World Cup. And contributions from South Africa’s B-team figured largely in Tuesday’s win.

Springboks’ bench-warmer, RG Snyman, was handed a start ahead of Eben Etzebeth. And it didn’t take long for Snyman to repay the faith accorded him by Coach Rassie Erasmus. He produced several clean breaks and made successful tackles and carries before walking away with the ‘Mastercard Man of the Match.’

Third-choice scrum-half and Northampton Saints’ player, Cobus Reinach–a man who didn’t make the cut for the Boks’ last World Cup squad–made up for the lost time by scoring the fastest hat-trick of tries in the 2019 tournament. On one play, he sold an approaching player a dummy, outran the pack from halfway-down the center, and kicked the ball over the only player that stood before him and the try-line, before going over the line for a try. And just when we thought that was all we’d get from the B-squad, in-form hooker Bongi Mbonambi, who was in for the Malcolm Mark, impressed all observers with his stellar play.

So one thing is clear–and it was the primary takeaway from Tuesday’s action: these benchwarmers are pushing hard for starting berths in the knockout stages.

But make no matter about that, Erasmus’ men will now refocus attention from Group B to Group A, eying who they’ll play in the next contest. Japan, Ireland, and Scotland are still within qualifying range.

The good news in South Africa is that all three are within the Springbok’s grasp. Of course, don’t expect Erasmus to say as much. When asked about Ireland, he said: “Joe Schmidt is an excellent coach, and I know the players well. They will be a big threat, and I will be nervous if we play them.”

Of course, Rassie! I say, “Onward, ‘Boks!”