Rassie Erasmus is backing Marco van Staden’s versatility for Saturday’s Test in Turin, after naming the 30-year-old at No 8 and as a back-up hooker.
Erasmus has made 11 changes to the starting XV that beat France in Paris, using the match as an opportunity to give the wider squad game time while maintaining a potent mix of experience and flair.
The bench could be read as a 6-2 or 5-3 split between forwards and backs, featuring props Gerhard Steenekamp and Wilco Louw, locks RG Snyman and Ruan Nortje, flank Kwagga Smith, and hybrid Andre Esterhuizen, who has previously shone at both centre and flank.
“Marco is obviously our cover at hooker,” Erasmus explained on Thursday. “He’s starting in another position but he’ll be our hooker cover. We’ve been doing that with Marco for the last five years; in the previous World Cup he played in the front row against Tonga.”
The move is part of a broader plan to develop Van Staden as a versatile weapon for the Springboks, similar to how Esterhuizen has been successfully deployed across multiple positions.
“If he gets through this Italy Test well and plays a few minutes at hooker, that’s another box ticked. But it might also backfire on us, and if it doesn’t work, we’ll have to make another plan.”
Erasmus emphasised that while the decision involves risk, it’s a calculated one designed to maximise the team’s flexibility and strength.
“Marco’s one of the fittest guys in our team. There’s definitely a risk, but we’re rolling the dice,” he said. “He might play 60 minutes at No 8 and 20 at hooker. We’ve played him there before, and he’s worked hard on his throwing. He’ll make a few mistakes, but we want to see if he can deal with it.”
The Springboks coach added: “It’s exactly like going with a 7-1 or 6-2 split – you gamble, and sometimes it can make the game very close if things don’t go your way. But we also want to accommodate Marco because he plays behind Siya [Kolisi]. He’s brilliant at the breakdown and with ball in hand – that’s why we want him involved.”
