With just over a week to go until the Springboks play the first match of the Autumn Nations series, coach Rassie Erasmus has named an exciting blend of youth and experience in his finalised squad, and at first glance it’s clear that Damian Willemse will have a big responsibility on his shoulders.
While notable headlines earlier this week included the addition of former Springbok U20 Captain Zachary Porthern, Damian Willemse’s inclusion as the only official recognised fullback may be an area of concern.
This comes after Aphelele Fassi injured his ankle during the second test against the All Blacks in Wellington and has since undergone surgery. While veteran Willie le Roux appears to have fallen out of favour with the coaching staff.
Dynamic wings to provide fullback cover for Damian Willemse
Despite the shortage of specialised cover at the back of the field, Springboks can pride themselves on having the versatility out wide to cover multiple positions in the backline. This includes fullback.
Here are four players capable of providing fullback cover
Sacha-Feinberg Mngomezulu
Perhaps a carbon copy of his Stormers teammate Damian Willemse, Feinberg-Mngomezulu has all the talent needed to excel in the role at an international level. At just 23 years old, the Bishop’s old boy has shown much maturity playing for the Boks. Despite the current success at fly-half, he previously played 78 minutes of rugby at fullback after replacing Willie le Roux in the second Test against Ireland in July 2024.
Cheslin Kolbe
While often alternating between right and left wing, another one of Kolbe’s strengths his covering the back field. Despite being small in stature, he has proven himself to have outstanding aerial abilities, providing security under the high ball. Meanwhile, he has the perfect attacking intelligence to turn a rock-solid defence into a lethal counter in both broken play and his side-stepping.
Kurt-lee Arendse
Like Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse prides his game on blistering pace and outrageous footwork. Having experience in playing sevens rugby, he displays excellent game awareness and positions himself well on defence. While not often, former Bulls coach Jake White occasionally used him at fullback in the United Rugby Championship when the moment required.
Edwill van der Merwe
Since joining the Sharks, Edwill coach John Plumtree has given the speedster gametime at fullback. Plumtree noted that after losing Yaw Penke to injury, 4 capped Springboks immediately stood out as ideal candidates to provide cover.
Meanwhile, other standout players who will do equally well in the case of an emergency includes Manie Libbok, Canan Moody and Jesse Kriel, all of whom previously occupied the position at the franchise level.
