Planet Rugby breaks down the winners and losers from the Springbok squad named for the Nations Championship opener against England. On the plus side, Libbok starts at 10 with Feinberg-Mngomezulu injured and Pollard out of form — a window he'll need to capitalise on. Porthen's inclusion is framed as generational timing: he steps in just as the veteran prop cohort ages out. Etzebeth returns from his 12-week ban with minimal match time behind him, while Hanekom and Reinach round out the positive stories, the latter continuing a late-career renaissance.
The sharper analysis sits in the losers column. Pollard's exclusion cuts deep — he's not just been displaced by Feinberg-Mngomezulu, he hasn't made the 23 at all, with Erasmus opting for no specialist back-up playmaker on the bench. Van der Merwe's omission after four tries against the Barbarians illustrates just how brutal Springbok depth is right now. Grobbelaar drops out despite starting all five Autumn wins, with Wessels and Van Staden's hooking versatility preferred behind Marx. Worth reading for the Pollard situation alone.