Erasmus shields Libbok from Barbarians risk with Nations Championship weeks away

Rassie Erasmus has opted to protect Manie Libbok from injury risk by starting one-cap utility back Quan Horn at fly-half for South Africa’s clash with the Barbarians at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Saturday, with the Nations Championship campaign less than a fortnight away.

Horn, who primarily plays wing or full-back for the Lions, will be backed up at 10 by 19-year-old Vusi Moyo from the bench. Libbok is fit and available but Erasmus has chosen not to expose his most experienced available fly-half to unnecessary match minutes before South Africa host England at Ellis Park on July 4.

The decision is rooted in a painful lesson from late 2025, when Erasmus started loosehead prop Ox Nche against Japan ahead of the Quilter Nations Series only for Nche to pick up an injury days after fellow loosehead Jan-Hendrik Wessells had received a nine-match ban. The compounding absences forced South Africa to turn to Boan Venter and Gerhard Steenekamp at short notice.

The fly-half stocks are already stretched. Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu is sidelined for several weeks with an ankle injury, while Handré Pollard is in action in the United Rugby Championship on Friday, leaving Libbok as the only seasoned option Erasmus has immediately available.

“I think Manie has played a lot of rugby in Japan,” Erasmus said after naming his squad. “We must see, does Handré get through the game this weekend without an injury? We’ve learned our lessons last year when we played Japan and we got an injury to Ox Nche and we didn’t really have to play Ox in that specific game. So we’re trying just to avoid that with Manie.”

Beyond injury management, Erasmus sees a longer-term tactical upside in Horn. The coach believes the 23-year-old’s ability to cover wing, full-back, and now fly-half could make him a valuable asset in the 6-2 bench splits the Springboks favour in Test rugby.

“The assistant coaches, all of us, really see something special in him when it comes to 10,” Erasmus said. “Hopefully, in the future that will help with 6-2 splits, because we know he can play wing, we know he can play 15.”

Erasmus also highlighted Moyo’s impact in the two-week training camp, describing the teenage fly-half as one of the standout performers. Also named in the starting XV is Riley Norton, the second-row who captained South Africa to the World Rugby Junior World Championship title in 2025.