With Kwagga Smith out long-term, Erasmus has opened up the No.8 conversation well beyond the obvious. Jasper Wiese remains the frontrunner, but the piece details a broader pool in contention — Paul de Villiers, Andre Esterhuizen, and Bulls loosies Van Staden, Hanekom and Louw are all reportedly training at the back of the scrum. More interesting is Erasmus's underlying philosophy: he views No.8 as a scrum-specific designation only, not a positional identity that carries traditional link-play obligations. With two tall flanks, the lineout jumper role shifts to No.7, freeing No.8 to operate almost anywhere — restart chaser, backline auxiliary, front-of-lineout option. It's the same logic that saw Kolisi redefined at 6, and it signals Erasmus is ready to further blur positional lines as the Rugby Championship approaches.
Rassie redefines the No.8 role — and has a surprising list of candidates to fill it
Erasmus has stripped the No.8 role back to its scrum function only, rejecting the traditional link-between-forwards-and-backs tag — and that philosophy opens the door to some unconventional candidates while Kwagga Smith recovers.
So how deep is the Springbok squad?
Lekker! Hola! Head to https://squarespace.com/squidgerugby to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code SQUIDGERUGBY
Erasmus: winning stays non-negotiable, whatever the World Cup build-up demands
Erasmus has made his 2025 season intent explicit: rotation and World Cup-building happen inside a framework where winning remains the non-negotiable baseline. The piece breaks down what that means for squad management, the veterans' standing, and why the All Blacks series carries extra weight.
Klopper earns his start, Grobbelaar earns his stripes — Ackermann explains the big Bulls calls
Ackermann explains Klopper's start over a fit-again Louw as a straightforward reward for form, while Grobbelaar's 150th Bulls cap lands at exactly the right moment — with Marx injured and the Bok hooker spot up for grabs ahead of the Nations Championship.
Alexander's blunt warning: align the calendar or lose the game
Mark Alexander is warning that the Dublin World Rugby meetings must deliver calendar alignment — concurrent Rugby Championship and Six Nations windows, dedicated club and rest periods — or the sport risks losing players to rebel competitions. New Zealand's resistance to shifting Super Rugby Pacific is the key sticking point.
Bulls dismantle Munster 45-14: Bok depth tells, Hanekom stakes Bomb Squad claim
A detailed breakdown of the Bulls' dominant 45-14 win, analysing why Bok-laden depth made Munster irrelevant, and why Hanekom is now in the frame to replace Kwagga Smith in the Bomb Squad.