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 ∼ Head to head: Who misses out on RWC ticket?

Head to head: Who misses out on RWC ticket?

Warrick Gelant and Rynhardt Elstadt Head to head: Who misses out on RWC ticket?
Published on August 21, 2019

Mariette Adams and Dylan Jack debate which player will most likely drop out of the Springboks’ current 32-man squad for the World Cup.

Adams says Rynhardt Elstadt

In a toss-up between Rynhardt Elstadt and Kwagga Smith, the Toulouse man might be the unlucky one to be omitted when the final squad is announced at 3pm next Monday.

It has been said that Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has been a huge fan of Elstadt since the player’s early days at Western Province and the Stormers. His excellent form in the French Top 14 and Champions Cup for Toulouse certainly caught Erasmus’ eye and earned him a maiden call-up to the national squad.

By contrast, it’s also been said that Erasmus doesn’t particularly fancy Smith because of his relatively small stature.

And yet, here we are, a month out from the Springboks’ opening World Cup match – against the All Blacks no less – and Smith has more game time under his belt than Elstadt this season. And while the difference in playing time is only about 43 minutes, it’s important to note which games both guys featured in.

Smith started – and starred, mind you – in the title-deciding Rugby Championship game against Argentina as well as against the All Blacks in Wellington. Elstadt was a starter against the Wallabies and in the World Cup warm-up against Argentina at Loftus.

There’s a case to be made for both players’ inclusion, but it would be most bizarre that Erasmus would call on Smith to do a job for him in South Africa’s two biggest and most important matches so far and yet discard him for World Cup in favour of Elstadt.

Within the current Bok set-up, Smith plays a similar role to that of Francois Louw, who is also in the 32-man training squad in Bloemfontein this week. And that could count against Smith, especially since both of them will vie for the spot on the bench.

But Smith covers openside and eighthman, and with Duane Vermeulen as the sole specialist No 8 in the squad, it will be a major plus to have him on hand.

I reckon Erasmus will select five loose forwards with Elstadt, through no fault of his own, unfortunately missing out.

ALSO READ: Bok squad cut points to unlucky one

Jack says Warrick Gelant

Rassie Erasmus has the unenviable task of deciding which player to drop to trim his current 32-man squad down to the required 31 for the World Cup. With the depth the Boks have in each and every position, it is an incredibly difficult task to say who exactly will be left out.

Lizo Gqoboka, Thomas du Toit, Andre Esterhuizen, Wilco Louw, Scarra Ntubeni, Dillyn Leyds, Marco van Staden and Marvin Orie have all returned to their respective franchises to play in this weekend’s final round of the Currie Cup. That possibly rules all of them out of being named in the 31-man squad.

However, I feel that Warrick Gelant won’t make the final cut when the squad is announced next Monday.

Gelant started in the Rugby Championship opener against the Wallabies and last weekend’s warm-up match against Argentina in Pretoria. It’s arguable whether he showed enough in those games to be deemed a solid-enough backup should Willie le Roux pick up a knock in Japan.

It should be added that it’s tough to expect the 24-year-old to seamlessly slot in at Test level given his lack of regular game time for the Springboks. He also showed some good touches in both matches he started this year, including a fast pass to put Sbu Nkosi away for his first try against the Pumas. But there is a feeling that Gelant doesn’t exude the same self-assuredness in the green and gold as when wearing the blue of the Bulls.

Given that both Cheslin Kolbe and Jesse Kriel can cover fullback – while if Frans Steyn were to put in the fitness work he could be considered an emergency option – a second specialist fullback may not be needed in the squad.

That doesn’t mean that Gelant would have his World Cup hopes dashed entirely as he would still probably be one of the first names on the shortlist should any of the backline players pick up a tournament-ending injury.

Photos: BackpagePix

Posted in Head to Head, Springboks, Top headlines, World Cup Tagged 2019 World Cup, Head to Head, Springboks

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