With the Nations Championship showdown at Loftus on Saturday, Joubert examines what Erasmus will be watching for from a specific group of players — essentially, who makes the strongest case for selection when the pressure is real. The piece frames it as a shootout between contenders who need a 'braveheart' performance to move the needle.
Keogh vs Zelsmann: Who earns Rassie's Nations Championship nod?
Joubert looks at which players Erasmus will have his eye on at Loftus on Saturday, and what kind of performance earns a genuine Nations Championship selection push.
- Nations Championship
- Loftus Versfeld
- Rassie Erasmus
- Springboks
Nché injury concern headlining Bok casualty list ahead of Scotland clash at Loftus
Rassie Erasmus is sweating over the fitness of Ox Nché, Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth and André Esterhuizen ahead of Saturday's Nations Championship match against Scotland at Loftus, after all four picked up injuries during or before the 45-21 win over England at Ellis Park.
Smith vows England will 'leave it all out there' against Springboks
Marcus Smith says England's 36-man squad, arriving in Johannesburg on Thursday, are targeting a historic win over the Springboks in the Nations Championship opener, having trained in oxygen masks to prepare for the Highveld.
Contepomi: Boks have cracked the balance — and that's what makes them dangerous
Contepomi argues the Boks' real danger lies in their evolving balance between forward dominance and expansive attack — and flags sustained possession as the best way to exploit their defence.
So how deep is the Springbok squad?
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Springboks Through Irish Eyes: Gráinne Seoige on Loftus, Rassie, and Why SA Rugby Is Unlike Anything Else
Irish TV personality Gráinne Seoige tells the Lekker Rugby Pod that walking into Loftus for the 2024 Ireland test was the most intimidating rugby atmosphere she has ever experienced, and argues that Rassie Erasmus's cultural transformation of Springbok rugby is a bigger achievement than the World Cup wins.