SA Rugby magazine

South African rugby news, interviews, videos and more. Covering the Springboks, Bulls, Stormers, Sharks, Cheetahs and Lions, as well as schools and club rugby.

Primary Menu Search
  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER
You are here: Home ∼ Erasmus: Whiteley will struggle to make World Cup

Erasmus: Whiteley will struggle to make World Cup

Bok No 8 Warren Whiteley Warren Whiteley
Published on August 13, 2019

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus admits that a number of players are in a race against time to prove their fitness for the World Cup.

The Boks take on Argentina in a World Cup warm-up match in Pretoria that will give Erasmus a final look at his options before naming his squad for the World Cup later this month.

While Springbok captain Siya Kolisi has rejoined the squad and looks set to continue his comeback from injury against Argentina, there are still question marks over the likes of Damian Willemse as well as 2018 Breakthrough Player of the Year Aphiwe Dyantyi and No 8 Warren Whiteley, who have all had their struggles with injuries this year.

Willemse has recovered and could play for Western Province in their Currie Cup match against Griquas in Kimberley, but Dyantyi and Whiteley could struggle to make the final cut.

‘Some guys are in a race against time,’ Erasmus told the media in Johannesburg. ‘Damian Willemse can get a few minutes for Province this weekend. It looks like Aphiwe can only play next weekend. Coenie [Oosthuizen] and Wilco [Louw] have been playing, but our props have been doing really well.

‘Warren will struggle to make the World Cup because of his injuries, he has got setback after setback. He is in a race against time.

‘Unfortunately, even if you are a very good player but you are injured and have no game time. If you take a player who has been out for six weeks to the World Cup, you can’t throw him into the first game against New Zealand if he has not played for eight or nine weeks.’

Erasmus added that this weekend’s match-day squad could have a similar look as the one that faced the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship opener, when Herschel Jantjies and Rynhardt Elstadt were handed Test debuts.

‘This weekend, we will mix and match a little bit,’ Erasmus said. ‘But we will pick a strong team like we did against Australia because we want to keep the momentum. This is the last game before we go away and we want to leave on a high.

‘There are a few big calls we will have to make this week. We are busy getting in all the results from the fitness tests, but we will have some more clarity on that in the next four or five days.’

Erasmus will announce his squad for the World Cup on 26 August.

Photo: Steve Haag/Gallo Images

Posted in Rugby Championship, Springboks, Test Rugby, Top headlines Tagged Aphiwe Dyantyi, Rassie Erasmus, Rugby Championship, Springboks, Test Rugby, Warren Whiteley, World Cup

Post by SA Rugby magazine

SA Rugby magazine

Check out Blackout Rugby Manager HERE!

← Previous Next →

Sevens’ party falls flat

World Rugby shouldn’t have messed with a winning sevens formula, writes SIMON...

Draining format clogs Blitzboks’ blockage

A protracted schedule took the wind out of South Africa's sails at...

England cut Eddie, Razor to stop the bleeding

England have made the rash decision to part ways with coach Eddie...

Rassie ref hom in die rooi

Rassie Erasmus is hardly the embarrassment that some are making him out...

Cut and paste Kurt-Lee for Kolbe

Kurt-Lee Arendse ticks all the right boxes to replace the injured Cheslin...

Rassie auditions for England job

Rassie Erasmus has made the most calculated of public job applications to...

Boks need to make mentality adjustment

The Springboks need to lose their underdog mentality, writes SIMNIKIWE XABANISA in...

Kolbe’s worth every penny

Cheslin Kolbe’s big-money move to Toulon should be welcomed as a massive...

‘Bok gameplan, when executed correctly, is hard to match’

The opportunity to play against the All Blacks is a career highlight...

Five key areas the Boks need to dominate for first victory

SA Rugby magazine highlights five crucial areas the Boks will need to...

Top six: Best and worst foreign imports

SARugbymag.co.za identifies six of the best and worst foreign players to play...

Column: When context is needed

As highlighted by the Argentina controversy, ‘cancel culture’ needs a spoonful of...

Dark cloud hangs over WP Rugby

The problems at Western Province Rugby are layered, and everyone involved needs...

From the mag: Foreign Favourites

As Vodacom Super Rugby turned 25 this year, JON CARDINELLI picks an...

Bulls rookies to watch

After a massive exodus of players the Vodacom Bulls will be eager...

Analysis: The new suffocate-and-strangle game

For the Boks to emerge as World Cup winners, they need to...

VIEW MORE
  • Bonus-point Bulls douse Dragons
  • Munster maul luckless Lions
  • Stormers sign off 2022 in style
  • Sharks carve Bulls on New Year’s Eve

Jacques Burger’s Perfect XV

    BKT United Rugby Championship, Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland 8/1/2023 Glasgow Warriors vs DHL Stormers Stormers' Damian Willemse Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Craig Watson
  • Highlights: Heartbreak for Stormers in Glasgow thriller

###


COVID-19 Corona Virus
South African Resource Portal

African Insider
African Insider News

ABOUT

  • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Videos
  • Player Features
  • Subscribe
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy

TOURNAMENTS

    • Rugby Championship
    • Super Rugby
    • Currie Cup
    • Varsity Cup
    • Gold Cup
    • Schools
    • Six Nations
    • Champions Cup
    • World Cup
    • Challenge Cup

OPINION

  • Mallett on SuperSport
  • Cardinelli column
  • Lewis column
  • Xabanisa column
  • Borchardt column
  • Superbru

Primary Menu

  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER