Erasmus encouraged by emerging talent before Nations Championship

The match provided an opportunity to test combinations and expose younger players to the senior environment. 

Lions’ utility back Quan Horn impressed in an unfamiliar flyhalf role, Junior Springbok captain Riley Norton looked comfortable in the second row on debut, while highly-rated youngster Vusi Moyo earned his first appearance off the bench. 

Erasmus said the encounter achieved its objective of assessing squad depth ahead of a demanding international season.

"One of Quan's strengths is his defensive work but the first try came about when the opposing player just ran over him and we conceded, but the nice thing was that it didn't take him off focus on the game. He certainly had some wonderful passes and created chances for guys, and kicked really well to find touch. This is what the game was for - to sort out a few problems and to get some answers. 

"I think Vusi is also a really calm guy and was also impressive, and then a guy like Riley - he's 20 years old and he played a great match against grown men."

READ: Steve Borthwick reveals England squad for Nations Championship that begins against the Springboks

The Springbok coach has continued his drive to broaden South Africa’s player pool by selecting six uncapped players in a 46-man squad for the upcoming Nations Championship campaign. 

Erasmus believes the newcomers bring valuable energy, pace and versatility to the national setup as the world champions begin laying the foundation for the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Despite renewed scrutiny surrounding Handré Pollard’s recent performances, Erasmus remains confident in the experienced flyhalf’s value to the national team. 

Pollard’s displays during the closing stages of the United Rugby Championship season attracted criticism after several uncharacteristic mistakes, prompting questions about his form heading into the international campaign. However, Erasmus stressed that the double World Cup winner’s body of work over several seasons cannot be overlooked. 

"Since 2017/2018 we've been working with him. We know what we have in players like him and he understands our game plan, so it's difficult to pick from franchise form sometimes because you don't know the set-up and the team's spirit. Handre has never not done it for us, he's always been solid."