How Moodie and Am may be accommodated by Springboks

As the Springboks prepare to face England in the World Cup semi-finals this weekend, there are some big selection decisions to be made.

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Notably, Rassie Erasmus has name-dropped both Lukhanyo Am and Canan Moodie as players they feel could be well-suited to the challenge England will offer.

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Big decisions for Springboks as Moodie set for return

It does make for an interesting scenario in terms of how they could both be accommodated, with Lukhanyo Am likely to start at 13, with Jesse Kriel perhaps due for a rest after a taxing World Cup campaign – while he also required several stitches after Sunday’s battle against France.

When it comes to Moodie, he could be moved onto the right wing in place of Kurt-Lee Arendse, or alternatively he may be accommodated on a 6-2 bench.

“There’s a temptation to put Canan Moodie in the mix with the way England plays, along with going for a six-two split. There’s a lot of temptations because we have a 33-man squad where everyone is fit and that’s probably the reason why we’re announcing our squad only 48 hours before the game.

“We also would like to see what England will do and the way they’re going. When France went six-two, we went five-three. The half-back pairing and the flyhalf may switch around and Lukhanyo is looking great, but so is Canan.”

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Big challenge awaits as England embrace underdog tag

Despite a slow start to England coach Steve Borthwick’s tenure, the team have come out firing in the RWC, registering victories in all four of their pool matches against Argentina, Japan, Chile and Samoa before knocking Fiji out in the quarter-final on Sunday to book their place in the top four.

Erasmus poured cold water over the idea that the Springboks are the favourites, saying England would have all the motivation they needed this weekend, considering their 32-12 defeat in the 2019 RWC final in Japan, and defeat in the last match between the two sides at Twickenham in 2022, where the Springboks emerged 27-13 victors.

“They are unbeaten (at the RWC), they’ve stuck to their guns since Borthwick was appointed, and they are a team that believe in what they are doing,” said Erasmus.

“They will still be hurting from last year and the 2019 World Cup final, so they’ll be desperate. It always hurts when you lose in a Rugby World Cup, and I guess England would feel like that, and they’d want to get one back on us. They are playing for their country, and they’ll want to make their people proud.

“So yes, I believe they’ll have beef with us after last year and the last World Cup final. They will be very physical and step up in the set phases, and you never know what their players will dish up, especially (Owen) Farrell and their new scrumhalf (Alex Mitchell), who really lights things up. So, they have threats all over the park.”

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