Scanning through our squad it seems to me the resources are a bit thin at lock relative to 2023. Etzebeth and Snyman stand 2 or more inches taller than their likely replacements and brought a unique intimidation factor. Not just in terms of size, but also nous. Eben is still there, but probably not the same.
Fortunately in the front row things look even better…Thomas, Wilco, Porthen, Sadie, Ox, Steenekamp, Boan Venter…..seven power props with Porthen adding mobility and youth. And the hookers in the squad Marx, Grobbelaar and Wessels ( hooker is his position, not prop) are all brilliant on the deck.
Probably the closest to the front row is in the scrumhalf position. What other country could leave a player like Papier out a 43 man squad. But although we have brilliant depth, we don’t have du Pont….a candidate for the best in the world
Our loosies are next, followed by wings….with flyhalf (absent Sacha) being a potential issue.
So for me the front row is now our core strength. South African rugby should strongly resist law changes that diminish the role of the scrum
