Erasmus Reveals The Tactical Twist Behind Tragic Bok Lock Omission
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has revealed that tactical profile—not talent—drove his decision to select rookie Riley Norton over powerhouse Northampton Saints lock JJ van der Mescht for the current squad, despite a bruising second-row injury crisis.
The omission of the 27-year-old Van der Mescht raised eyebrows, particularly given South Africa’s shortage of experienced second-row options following injuries to RG Snyman and Jean Kleyn, while Eben Etzebeth continues to have his workload carefully managed.
Adding to the injury concerns, Salmaan Moerat was released from the squad after suffering what Erasmus described as a serious long-term injury. Meanwhile, experienced locks Lood de Jager and Franco Mostert are edging closer to their returns.
Lions enforcer Ruan Venter was also mentioned several times by Erasmus, suggesting he was firmly in the selection mix before suffering his own injury setback.
Despite those setbacks, Erasmus believes the Springboks remain well covered and feels Norton’s skill set is better suited to the role the coaches currently require.
“Our interactions with JJ have been virtual, contacting the club and monitoring his stats,” Erasmus said.
“Of course, Riley is in our system and has come through our junior structures, just like JJ did. But JJ has been away for a really long time.”
Van der Mescht, who was born in Pretoria and began his professional career with the Sharks, moved to Stade Français before joining English Premiership champions Northampton Saints.
Standing 2.01 metres tall and weighing 145kg, the powerful lock established himself as a key figure during Northampton’s title-winning campaign and has continued to enhance his reputation as one of South Africa’s leading overseas forwards.
Like Norton, Van der Mescht also represented the Junior Springboks, featuring at the 2019 World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Argentina, where South Africa finished third.
However, Erasmus stressed that comparing the two players goes beyond experience, as each offers a very different skill set.
“At the end of the day, we look at what we need in the team,” he said.
“One (Norton) is a lineout caller and very athletic around the park, while the other (Van der Mescht) is a bruiser who plays very direct. It all depends on what you need for a particular Test match.”
Norton, who captained the Junior Springboks to the World Rugby Under-20 Championship title last year, has impressed the Springbok coaching staff with both his maturity and his understanding of the national team’s systems.
Erasmus believes that familiarity, coupled with Norton’s mobility and leadership qualities, gave him the edge for this particular squad.
“We all think JJ is a wonderful player, and that’s not to say he won’t play for us in the future. But what we feel we need at this stage is probably more of what Riley offers us.”
Although the Springboks have been hit by injuries in the second row, Erasmus insisted the squad has enough versatility to cope without immediately calling up Van der Mescht.
“From an injury standpoint, you’ll immediately think JJ is a good replacement for RG Snyman, but there are other guys like Cobus Wiese or even Jasper Wiese who can scrum at number four if we want. Jan-Hendrik Wessels played number four at school for a very long time.”
Rather than bringing in a specialist lock who may not feature, Erasmus said the coaching staff preferred to back players who already understand the Springbok environment and fit the team’s tactical requirements.
“We don’t want to bring someone in and then not utilise him. Hopefully, in the future, we do need someone like that and can get him into the squad. But they are two completely different types of players.
“Riley knows our system really well because he has come through our structures.”
While Norton has earned his opportunity, Erasmus made it clear that the door remains firmly open for Van der Mescht. His consistent performances in England have ensured he remains on the Springboks’ radar, with the coach leaving little doubt that the opportunity to wear the green and gold could still come in the near future.
