Springboks: Rassie names SIX candidates in line for stand-in captaincy role
Rassie Erasmus has revealed the six candidates who have been shortlisted for the Springbok captaincy to fill in for Siya Kolisi for the duration of the Rugby Championship. ALSO READ: Springboks only have ONE fit flyhalf ahead of Rugby Championship! Kolisi, who went under the knife last month after suffering a knee ligament injury, will miss […]
Rassie Erasmus has revealed the six candidates who have been shortlisted for the Springbok captaincy to fill in for Siya Kolisi for the duration of the Rugby Championship.
ALSO READ: Springboks only have ONE fit flyhalf ahead of Rugby Championship!
Kolisi, who went under the knife last month after suffering a knee ligament injury, will miss the Rugby Championship, but the Springbok management team has confirmed he is likely to return to action in one of the team’s three World Cup warm-up matches and is set to get off with the squad to the RWC in France.
However, with Kolisi sidelined, South Africa need a captain to lead the team during the Rugby Championship. There’s been a lot of speculation as to who it might be, but on Wednesday Erasmus named six potential candidates for the Springbok captaincy when he singled out Steven Kitshoff, Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Damian de Allende and Lukhanyo Am.
ALSO READ | Springboks: How many times have they won the Rugby Championship title?
CAPTAINCY CANDIDATES’ INFOGRAPHIC
| Name | Position | Test caps | Test debut |
| Steven Kitshoff | Prop | 71 | June 2016 |
| Eben Etzebeth | Lock | 110 | June 2012 |
| Duane Vermeulen | No 8 | 65 | September 2012 |
| Pieter-Steph du Toit | Flank | 66 | November 2013 |
| Lukhanyo Am | Centre | 31 | December 2017 |
| Damian de Allende | Centre | 70 | August 2014 |
Commenting on the way forward with the stand-in captaincy situation as well as the management of the injured players in the squad, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber said:
“The World Cup is obviously the big one for us this year, but our focus is on our first Test against Australia.” said Nienaber.
“We have a plan for the Rugby Championship and then we have World Cup warm-up matches against Argentina, Wales and New Zealand before we move into the World Cup.”
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SPRINGBOKS TEST FIXTURES IN 2023
Rugby Championship
✈ 8 July: Springboks vs Australia (Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria)
✈ 15 July: South Africa vs New Zealand (Mount Smart, Auckland)
✈ 29 July: South Africa vs Argentina (Ellis Park, Johannesburg)
World Cup warm-ups
✈ 5 August: South Africa vs Argentina (Vélez Stadium, Buenos Aires)
✈ 19 August: South Africa vs Wales (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff)
✈ 25 August: Springboks vs New Zealand (Twickenham Stadium, London)
Rugby World Cup
✈ 10 September: South Africa vs Scotland (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
✈ 17 September: Springboks vs Romania (Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux)
✈ 23 September: South Africa vs Ireland (Stade de France, Saint-Denis, Paris)
✈ 1 October: South Africa vs Tonga (Stade Vélodrome, Marseille)
