Andre Esterhuizen's hybrid role: Another game-changer for the Rassie Erasmus' Springboks

One thing about Springboks’ coach Rassie Erasmus is that he keeps us and the rest of the rugby world on their toes.

Going into the international season, a lot of people would have wondered about what he has up his sleeve for 2025. What is he going to cook next?

Well, on a wet, windy and cold night against the Barbarians at DHL Stadium, all was revealed early on in the second half when the “bomb squad” took the field.

Erasmus sent on his entire bench, all of eight of them. Among them Andre Esterhuizen, with probably everyone in the stadium thinking he was coming on to replace inside centre Damian de Allende. However, at second glance De Allende was still on the field some people in the press box thought the Boks had 16 men on the field.

However, to many supporters and pundits’ surprise, Esterhuizen packed down at flank and the new Rassie bombshell was revealed.

Esterhuizen is a big boy and brutal ball-carrier, who makes a lot of metres in the vacuum. He is also a hard-tackling defender and a guy who isn’t afraid to get stuck in, and it’s why Erasmus believes he is a key player in the evolution of the “bomb squad”.

“If you have a 5-3 split or a 6-2 split, with Kwagga covering wing, we’re just doing it the other way around now, with Andre, a backline player, who is able to play in the forwards now,” Erasmus said after the Boks’ victory over the Barbarians.

“If we do get three backline injuries, a guy like Andre just gives us the option now, because he has been training with the forwards and the backs.

“Felix has done well to manage his load with the forwards and the backs, as he has been part of scrumming sessions. He is a backline player who can play in the forwards and Kwagga is a forward who can play in the backline.”

Esterhuizen revealed that the conversation of him becoming a hybrid player has been going on for months. And now, since it became a reality, he is embracing doing a job for the team.

“It was a good experience, obviously I trained there a bit this week. It’s a good attribute to have for the future,” the Sharks centre said.

“If I wasn’t willing I wouldn’t have played today. Definitely willing to learn and slot in a bit of a hybrid role to cover forwards and backs. I think it will help me as a player personally and help me in future.

“We obviously spoke about and I said I would like to try it. It gives us more options.”

Esterhuizen has been sitting behind De Allende in the Boks’ No 12 pecking order for a long time and rarely gets into the matchday squads if he isn’t starting because he was seen as guy who can only play inside centre.

But the new role is definitely going to see him be considered as a bench option because of the fact that he can also slot in at flank. It’s something that excites the player.

“I was actually just waiting for that conversation to happen sometime. It has been brought up in the past and shrugged off from different perspectives and people,” Esterhuizen said.

“As you get older, you need to learn how to slot in everywhere. How you can get yourself in the team more consistently. You have to adapt as a player.

“I’m looking forward to what it can be and what it can work out to be.”

@JohnGoliath82