Junior Boks boss backs Boks’ depth

Kevin Foote says the Springboks’ defeat to the Wallabies in Perth should not be viewed as a warning sign over their depth ahead of the 2027 World Cup.

Rassie Erasmus made 13 changes to his starting XV for last Sunday’s one-off Test at Optus Stadium, with a number of players given an opportunity to stake their claim.

The Boks ultimately went down 42-38, prompting questions over whether the result exposed a lack of depth in certain positions. Foote, however, insists Erasmus has plenty of quality at his disposal.

“Our depth now is incredible,” Foote said on the Boks Unpacked X The Verdict podcast. “We didn’t get the win but it’s not something that I think the coaches will worry about.”

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Foote pointed to the circumstances surrounding several of the players who featured in Perth, highlighting the limited opportunities they have had to build combinations, while the Boks have had a demanding international season, with travel to Argentina and the USA, before the trip Down Under.

“They’ve got to fly to Australia, stay in Terrigal, move to Perth. It’s a long time on the road,” Foote said.

“For all those players, you know, they’ve had to be selfless,” he said. “Not get selected, not get selected, then they get the opportunity.

“It didn’t go their way, but they’re all very good players. Just building those combinations I think will be the most important thing.”

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And while the Perth result was a setback, Foote believes it could ultimately provide the Boks with extra motivation going into the World Cup, exactly one year away.

“We will be hungry from this and the guys will remember this,” he said.

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