Erasmus has broken his silence on the last-minute front-row switch before the second Test in Cape Town, and the explanation is more straightforward than the speculation suggested: he was planning for a wet pitch. When the team arrived to find dry, firm conditions, he reverted to the original trio of Nché, Marx and Louw — the heavier, more powerful unit he considers better suited to hard ground. For the third Test he's gone back to Steenekamp, Fourie and Du Toit, who he rates for big-game composure. The broader selection context matters too: Erasmus says the rotation-heavy approach of the early Rugby Championship weeks has given way to a continuity-first mindset now that the series is locked at 1-1. With Saturday's result determining whether the Boks are playing for a draw or a series win in the final match, the experimentation phase is over.