Springbok No8 Cameron Hanekom and Argentina's back row Pablo Matera vies for the ball during the Rugby Union one-off test match at the Jose Amalfitani stadium in Buenos Aires.
As the Springboks and All Blacks prepare for their blockbuster four-Test showdown, squad depth and player management are shaping up to be the ultimate deciding factors.
In what promises to be a gruelling series, the Springboks seem to hold a distinct advantage over their arch-rivals. This is largely thanks to a deeply embedded culture of player rotation since before the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, which has contributed to their unrivalled squad depth.
For years, head coach Rassie Erasmus has systematically built a world-class system where the Springboks have two to three international-standard options for every position. Over the course of the past few years, Erasmus has played an average of about 45 players a year.
The biggest example of the Springboks’ crazy depth is that South Africans aren’t panicking about who will replace captain Siya Kolisi should his hamstring not be ready for the first Test at Ellis Park on August 22. Rookie open-sider Paul de Villiers has played three fantastic Test matches should he be selected to face the old enemy.
