Rassie Erasmus Turns to Siya Kolisi at No. 8 as Bench Battle Adds Spice to Bok–Wallabies Test

As the first round of The Rugby Championship kicks off, all eyes are on Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who has been handed a surprise role at No. 8 for Saturday’s highly anticipated clash against the Wallabies. 

It's a position Kolisi is no stranger to at club level, having worn the No. 8 jersey consistently for the Sharks but this marks his first time playing the role in the green and gold.

Opportunity Through Adversity

Earlier this year, head coach Rassie Erasmus was non-committal when asked whether Kolisi could be a serious option at the back of the scrum. 

But circumstances have since dictated a rethink. With regular starter Jasper Wiese serving a suspension and key backups Cameron Hanekom and Elrigh Louw sidelined through injury, Erasmus has turned to his skipper to fill the void.

Kolisi, always team-first in attitude, embraced the challenge.

“You know, injuries happen in matches. There are players who are out like Jasper. I’ve played all matches for the Sharks at 8. It will be massive,” Kolisi told SportsBoom.co.za.

“Sometimes I still get nervous. There’s so much competition in this group that I’ll be giving my all on Saturday.”

A Subtle Shift in Role

Traditionally, the Springboks favour a physically imposing, lineout-jumping No. 8, a mold Kolisi doesn’t typically fit. His shift to the role will slightly alter the Bok set-piece dynamic, but Kolisi isn’t fazed.

“I can’t tell you whether I’ll be jumping or not,” he joked. 

“My role has changed a bit, especially in the set-piece. But all other facets of the game will be exactly the same.”

Mind Games and Tactical Chess

The lead-up to the Test has been marked by strategic manoeuvring off the field. Erasmus raised eyebrows by naming his matchday 23 as early as Monday, a rare move for the often-secretive Bok camp. 

More intriguingly, he hinted that if Australia opted for a 6–2 bench split, South Africa could mirror the strategy, potentially bringing RG Snyman back into the fray.

On the Australian side, head coach Joe Schmidt wasn’t giving much away, but a late injury during Thursday’s training session forced a reshuffle. Initially planning for a 5–3 split, Schmidt confirmed they adjusted to a 6–2 configuration before reverting again just ahead of the match.

“I’ve worked with Rassie and coached against him,” said Schmidt. 

“I don’t really focus too much on the mind games. To be honest, we’re more focused on what we’re doing than what South Africa are up to. We learnt our lesson from them last year.”

“It was a 5–3 bench originally, until the second-last play of training on Thursday. We’ve made adjustments and will finalise at Captain’s Run.”

True to his word, Australia made another tweak after their Friday Captain’s Run, reverting once again, leaving many puzzled, including Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick.

“We woke up this morning and saw Australia have gone from 6–2 to 5–3, but they announced 6–2 the day before. I have no clue what their plan is,” Stick said.

Meanwhile, RG Snyman was spotted training with the matchday squad, fueling speculation of a last-minute inclusion. But Erasmus remained firm.

“This is the final matchday 23 that was announced on Monday, aside from one forced change, Jan-Hendrik Wessels out with injury and replaced by Boan Venter. We didn’t want to take any risks. Apart from that, there will be no changes.”