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Rassie Erasmus releases three Springboks before Argentina finale
South Africa head coach Rassie Erasmus has released Johan Grobbelaar, Ben-Jason Dixon and Canan Moodie back to their clubs ahead of the first round of United Rugby Championship action for South African sides.
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All three were recently part of the 28-man Springboks squad that travelled to Argentina, but Dixon was the only one that featured in the 29-28 defeat to the Pumas, starting in the No7 jersey with a brief dalliance at scrumhalf.
Hooker Grobbelaar and utility back Moodie will return to the Bulls, who host Edinburgh on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld in round two of the URC.
Dixon’s Stormers will face the Ospreys later that day at Dunraven Brewery Field.
The Springboks only need a solitary point from their return clash with the Pumas in Mbombela Stadium to win the Rugby Championship.
“It would have been great for the players to remain with us and attend Saturday’s game in Nelspruit after their contributions to our Castle Lager Rugby Championship campaign, and it would have been special for them if we tick the necessary boxes to win the tournament,” Erasmus said.
“But it’s important to do our bit to assist the domestic franchises in their Vodacom URC campaigns.
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“They have big games lined up, and every point in the competition counts, so we have no doubt the players will add immense value to their teams.”
Watch the highly acclaimed five-part documentary Chasing the Sun 2, chronicling the journey of the Springboks as they strive to successfully defend the Rugby World Cup, free on RugbyPass TV (*unavailable in Africa)
2 years ago I thought Moodie was the best young player in the world and the future of south african rugby, but he seems to have seriously fallen out of favour since then.
In the last 12 months he's played in two tests - one against Tonga in a heavily rotated side, and one against New Zealand a couple of weeks ago, a game in which he was South Africa's worst player.