After leading South Africa to back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles, Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus has indeed earned the right not to be questioned over who he selects and does not select to play for the current world champions.
But after watching former Stormers No.8 Juarno Augustus deliver a barnstorming performance for his English Premiership club Northampton Saints, in this past weekend’s European Champions Cup Semi-final victory over Leinster, one has to start questioning why the backrower known as Trokkie (Truck) has never been extended an invite.
Trokkie Out In The Cold
Those close to Erasmus and his management team will tell you that the biggest reason for Augustus not being selected is the fact that he plies his trade in England, which makes it difficult for the Bok management to regularly track the 27-year-old loose-forward’s progress.
Form next season onwards that will not be a problem as Augustus, earlier this year, announced that he will leave Saints to go and play for Irish club Ulster in the United Rugby Championship.
It will see the No.8 play regularly against South African opposition, like his former team, the DHL Stormers, whom Augustus left in 2021 to join Northampton, after not getting regular game time.
Concerns over his work rate - on and off the ball - was seen as his big weakness at the time and why he fell behind the pecking order, with Jasper Wiese, Evan Roos and of late Cameron Hanekom cracking a nod in the No.8 jumper.
Earned His Shot
But former Lions looseforward and ex-Springbok Sevens captain, Jonathan Mokuena, believes the time has now come to open the Bok gate for Trokkie who has been trying to crash it down this season.
In an exclusive interview with Telecom Asia Sport, Mokuena says of why Augustus deserves a shot:
I think after that game [against Leinster] Augustus has raised his hand even higher for inclusion in a Springbok squad. To me, he was phenomenal.
In his time at the Stormers, his work-rate was not that high where he stood out mainly for his ball carries, but yesterday (Saturday) he showed against arguably the best club team in the world he deserves a shot.
Even if that only means he gets an invite to an alignment camp, that would at least give him the opportunity to then go and prove why he should be the next Springbok No.8.
Key Player for the Future
Mokuena also believes Augustus could become an important player for the Boks in terms of building depth for future World Cup tournaments.
To me, he has everything you want to really give a big impact. He is in a similar mould to England’s Billy Vunipola but just with a better work-rate than that of Billy.
We have enough flankers in the country that can switch into different roles and are options in the lineout and play towards the ball. To me he is your typical No.8 who is going to grind and graft and make the big hits.
It is probably now an opportunity to show that he is being watched [by Springbok selectors] because he is the type of player that adds value to any team that he plays for and we can see how – in the right system – any player can develop and in the way the Boks want to play the game and also evolve their game he is a player that deserves an opportunity.
