Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus has released three players—Ben-Jason Dixon, Johan Grobbelaar, and Canan Moodie—to their local franchises following the conclusion of the team’s main training session on Wednesday. This comes ahead of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship decider between South Africa and Argentina at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit on Saturday.
With the Springboks taking Thursday off to rest and mentally prepare for the final, they will wrap up their on-field preparations on Friday during the captain’s run. Erasmus felt confident releasing the players due to sufficient squad depth, ensuring cover in case of any injuries. Dixon will return to the DHL Stormers, while Grobbelaar and Moodie will join the Vodacom Bulls for their respective Vodacom United Rugby Championship (URC) season openers.
The Vodacom Bulls are set to face Edinburgh at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Saturday, while Dixon will head to Wales to join the Stormers for their match against Ospreys in Bridgend.
Erasmus commented on the decision, noting that while it would have been meaningful for the players to stay with the Springboks and attend Saturday’s game, it was also important to support the domestic franchises as they embark on their URC campaigns. He expressed confidence that the released players would contribute significantly to their teams in the crucial early stages of the URC.
The Springboks currently hold a five-point lead over Argentina in the Championship standings and are close to securing the title for the first time since 2019. They need only one log point or to avoid Argentina earning a bonus point in order to claim the trophy.
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