Rassie Erasmus cheekily predicts ‘his’ Ireland team

In the lead up to the first Test between the Springboks and Ireland, Rassie Erasmus has said he is happy for things to get ‘spicy’.

Perhaps with this in mind, he has begun to ramp up a bit of the pre-match banter, including taking to X (formerly Twitter) to predict Ireland’s matchday squad for this Saturday’s clash at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld.

One of the big selection question marks has revolved around who Ireland will pick at scrumhalf after talented Jamison Gibson-Park was ruled out of the tour.

Erasmus has now predicted that Irish coach Andy Farrell will back an all-Munster halfback pair, with Craig Casey joining club teammate Jack Crowley in the starting lineup.

 The Springboks’ World Cup winning coach also expects Ireland to most likely go with a six-two split between forwards and backs.

How Rassie Erasmus expects the Ireland team to line up:

1. Andrew Porter
2. Dan Sheehan
3. Tadhg Furlong
4. MC McCarthy
5. Tadhg Byrne
6. Peter O’Mahony
7. Josh van der Flier
8. Caelan Doris
9. Craig Casey
10. Jack Crowley
11. James Lowe
12. Bundee Aki
13. Gary Ringrose
14. Calvin Nash
15. Jimmy O’Brien
16. Ronan Kelleher
17. Cian Healy
18. Finlay Bealham
19. James Ryan
20. Ryan Baird
21. Nick Timoney
22. Conor Murray
23. Ciaran Frawley

**If 5/3 split:**
– Robbie Henshaw

More mind games to come

Erasmus also took some time to compare certain stats between the matchday squads ahead of the series, while also revealing that his matchday squad will likely have a total of 1,162 caps.

During a Springbok press conference last week, Erasmus downplayed former Ireland star Simon Zebo’s comments that he “hates the Irish” as a “joke”, but welcomed a stoking of the rivalry between the two nations.

“Simon Zebo messaged me, people who know him would know he’s a joke and every chance he gets, he makes a joke or a little crack here and there,” Erasmus said.

“He immediately messaged me and said listen ‘that came out totally wrong, they totally didn’t understand what I was trying to say.

“So he apologised and asked if he must he go back on air and rectify it and I said no man let’s spice it up, let’s keep it that way.”

He also called on South African supporters to make their presence felt at Loftus.

POSSIBLE SA TEST LINE-UP

15 Aphelele Fassi, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Cheslin Kolbe, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Evan Roos, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Ox Nche.

*What do you think of this team? Let us know by leaving a comment at the end of this article.

SQUAD FOR INCOMING SERIES:

Forwards: Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Racing 92), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92/Sharks), Evan Roos (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Blu Revs), RG Snyman (Munster/Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (all Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).

Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins/Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Wilie le Roux (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks).

Players on standby:
Forwards: Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche (both Stormers), Celimpilo Gumede, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw (all Bulls), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks), Ruben van Heerden (Stormers), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers).
Backs: Suleiman Hartzenberg (Stormers), Jordan Hendrikse (Lions), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Siya Masuku (Sharks).