‘Angry Warthog’ recall shows Rassie wants the best for Boks

Some 56 players have been invited by Rassie Erasmus to his first alignment camp of the year and it is a revealing selection as much for the newcomers invited as for the old timers rewarded with a lifeline.

The camp begins in Cape Town on March 9, the day after the Sharks host the Lions in Durban (the Bulls and Stormers have a break that weekend after having played each other on March 1), and overseas-based players will be online for squad discussions.

Among the number physically present are two veterans who probably doubted their chances of inclusion. I’m talking veteran Deon Fourie, the 38-year-old who was the hero of the 2023 World Cup final, and the discarded Akker van der Merwe, who is 33.

Rassie’s backing of the duo is interesting because late last year he said his selection for the Rugby Championship would give a strong indication of those he felt could go on to the 2027 World Cup in Australia.

Before the Championship, there is a match against Georgia and a two-match incoming series against Italy.

It could be that Erasmus has changed his mind and is hell-bent on winning the two matches against the All Blacks in September. The first game is in Auckland, where the All Blacks have not lost since 1994, and the second in Wellington.

Knowing how Rassie has previously planned for games in New Zealand, it is almost certain that he will send his big guns to Auckland well in advance of the September 6 kick-off at Eden Park. That would mean a second-string side playing the second Test against Italy, and that is why the coach is keeping his net spread good and wide.

To that end, the squad that he has invited to the first alignment camp includes veterans like Fourie and Van der Merwe — neither of whom is likely to go to Australia — because the coach will need quality numbers when he splits his resources closer to the departure to New Zealand.

Fourie is making a comeback for the Stormers after a long injury lay-off and is already showing he remains combative (especially) at the breakdown, despite his team losing, matches in the United Rugby Championship.

Erasmus knows that Fourie has that priceless mongrel that defies age. In the last World Cup final, he was not supposed to play off the bench. He was the one substitute who was supposed to provide cover throughout but the early injury to Bongi Mbonambi meant Fourie was on in the third minute.

How he handled that ambush played a massive role in the Boks winning the final and it has not been forgotten by the coach.

The recall of Van der Merwe is more of an eyebrow-raiser. The elder brother of Scotland sensation Duhan debuted for the Boks in 2018. Erasmus gave the Angry Warthog three caps off the bench early that year but then he disappeared.

The speculation was that Van der Merwe and Erasmus had disagreed. We cannot verify this but, fact or fiction, the heartening news is that six years later the Bok coach is recognising Akker’s robust performances for the Bulls.

The bottom line for Erasmus is that the Boks keep winning and, to that end, he is showing that age ain’t nothing but a number as long as there is good form.