Jean de Villiers says the Springboks’ changing of the guard could threaten the team culture if not managed carefully.
Rassie Erasmus has been steadily rotating his squad since the 2023 World Cup triumph, introducing a new wave of youngsters while managing the twilight years of several double World Cup winners.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, for instance, has started at 10 for the last three Tests, including Saturday’s clash against Argentina at Twickenham, with Handre Pollard left out of the match 23.
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While the strategy has been welcomed as vital for long-term success, De Villiers cautions that it comes with its own risks.
Speaking on the Good, Bad and Rugby podcast, the former Bok captain explained that when players who have long been first-choice suddenly find themselves behind rising stars, the harmony within the group could be strained.
“It’s great to have those kinds of players that you know you can fall back on and provide something different in terms of strategy going into a game,” De Villiers said.
“The only issue is when you have guys used to being first choice who now become second choice. What can happen is the culture comes under threat.
“You’ve been the main guy, but now you’re not, and it can create friction because the youngsters are coming through.”
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De Villiers stressed, however, that he hasn’t seen signs of disunity in the current squad, where senior players have gone out of their way to help new faces adapt.
“From within the squad, it has always been the older guys helping the younger ones come through,” he added. “If you have that healthy environment, it works really well – but just one player having an issue can become a very big problem.”
Photo: Anton Geyser/Gallo Images
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