Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus addressed why Evan Roos was initially left out of the 54-man squad named for the upcoming Tests against the Barbarians, Italy, and Georgia.
Roos, the Stormers loose forward, was only called up after Bulls No. 8 Cameron Hanekom suffered a hamstring injury during their United Rugby Championship semi-final win over the Sharks at Loftus.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Erasmus said, “I don’t want to get into team selection debates right now, but I’ve seen what people have been saying. It’s definitely not personal.”
Erasmus explained that the strong competition in the No. 8 position influenced the decision.
“At this stage, Roos is competing with some of the best in the world. Everyone has opinions on who’s playing well, but from our perspective, he wasn’t quite at the level of others at that time. That’s usually why someone misses out.”
He continued, “With Juarno Augustus and Cameron Hanekom sidelined, Evan wasn’t performing as well as the others. This doesn’t mean he isn’t Springbok quality — players like Kwagga Smith, Cameron, Juarno, and Siya Kolisi can all cover No. 8.”
“Sometimes it’s about fit. A player might be good enough, but a few others just suit the team’s style and plans better or are more settled in the role.”
The Springboks will start their campaign with a landmark match against the Barbarians on Saturday, June 28.
