The ingenious way to get Rassie into Twickenham
Given everything that has transpired over the past week, Twickenham is the place to be on Saturday as England host the Springboks in a repeat of the World Cup final.
Unfortunately for South Africa, one person who is barred from being there is their director of rugby Rassie Erasmus after he was suspended with immediate effect from all rugby activities for two months and from all match-day activities until September 2022 on Wednesday by World Rugby for his infamous video.
Twitter got to work after the news broke out, finding innovative ways to get the World Cup winning coach into the stadium. Cardboard cutouts of Erasmus’ face are now spreading wildly on Twitter, and it would be surprising if many of these are not seen in south west London on Saturday afternoon.
Was sent this. Wouldnt laugh if Twickenham has a few of these for Saturday. Apparently doing the rounds. pic.twitter.com/jvtkeil1xh
— Brenden Nel (@BrendenNel) November 18, 2021
Erasmus himself even joined in on the action on Twitter, sharing a photo of himself camouflaged under a tuft of grass.
Only in 🇿🇦 😉 pic.twitter.com/nuirp4HVr2
— Rassie Erasmus (@RassieRugby) November 18, 2021
To add fuel to the fire, South Africa were additionally almost universally snubbed by World Rugby for the end of year awards. Only Lukhanyo Am made any shortlist -for try of the year- despite the Boks winning a series against the British & Irish Lions and rising again to world number one. That will only make the encounter at Twickenham all the more ferocious.
England XV
15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers, 4 caps)
14. Joe Marchant (Harlequins, 6 caps)
13. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs, 42 caps)
12. Manu Tuilagi (Sale Sharks, 45 caps)
11. Jonny May (Gloucester Rugby, 68 caps)
10. Marcus Smith (Harlequins, 4 caps)
9. Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers, 111 caps)
1. Bevan Rodd (Sale Sharks, 1 cap)
2. Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons, 4 caps)
3. Kyle Sinckler (Bristol Bears, 46 caps)
4. Maro Itoje (Saracens, 50 caps)
5. Jonny Hill (Exeter Chiefs, 11 caps)
6. Courtney Lawes (C) (Northampton Saints, 89 caps)
7. Sam Underhill (Bath Rugby, 26 caps)
8. Tom Curry (Sale Sharks, 35 caps)
Finishers
16. Nic Dolly (Leicester Tigers, uncapped)
17. Joe Marler (Harlequins, 73 caps)
18. Will Stuart (Bath Rugby, 14 caps)
19. Charlie Ewels (Bath Rugby, 25 caps)
20. Sam Simmonds (Exeter Chiefs, 8 caps)
21. Alex Dombrandt (Harlequins, 3 caps)
22. Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks, 1 cap)
23. Max Malins (Saracens, 9 caps)
South Africa XV
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 71 caps, 60 pts (12t)
14 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 50 caps, 60 pts (12t)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 25 caps, 25 pts (5t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Munster) – 57 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 24 caps, 95 pts (19t)
10 – Handré Pollard (Montpellier) – 59 caps, 586 pts (6t, 83c, 126p, 4d)
9 – Cobus Reinach (Montpellier) – 20 caps, 40pts (8t)
8 – Duane Vermeulen (Ulster) – 60 caps, 15 pts (3t)
7 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo) – 18 caps, 5 pts (1t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 62 caps, 30 pts (6t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks) – 55 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon) – 96 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls) – 53 caps, 5pts (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 47 caps, 45 pts (9t)
1 – Ox Nché (Cell C Sharks) – 8 caps, 0pts
Replacements
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 45 caps, 50 pts (10t)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 58 caps, 5pts (1t)
18 – Vincent Koch (Saracens) – 30 caps, 0 pts
19 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 50 caps, 5pts (1t)
20 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 10 caps, 0 pts
21 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers) – 20 caps, 25 pts (5t)
22 – Elton Jantjies (NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes) – 43 caps, 323 pts (2t, 65c, 60p, 1d)
23 – Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs) – 73 caps, 147pts (11t, 7c, 23p, 3d)
