Deep thinking and tough calls: Rassie explains selection strategy for France showdown

The Bok coach revealed his matchday 23 to face France in Paris on Thursday - having initially planned to release it at the start of the week on Monday - and asked whether it had been tough identifying the best team for this match, he admitted a lot of thought had gone into his selections.

"No, it was difficult. You know we like to rotate and we've said to some of the guys they'll probably play next weekend, and we want to get most of the guys two games on this five-match tour," Erasmus revealed.

"This game obviously there was some deep thinking about picking Kwagga (who ultimately missed out). We just really thought they were going to go with a 6-2 split as well, as I looked through their social media and I could see the numbers on their bibs.

"They scrum hard and maul a hell of a lot and we think having two locks on the bench will help us. But you know, we have Ruan covering seven for us, Andre covering six and Siya covering eight for us in the game as well.

"But a guy like Ethan missing out, Canan missing out - it's not really missing out when we pick our teams. It's really that we want to keep everybody involved, everybody up to speed."

Why Sacha got the nod over Pollard

Erasmus confirmed that starting Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu ahead of veteran flyhalf Handre Pollard was one of the most debated decisions of the week.

The temptation to select Pollard - one of the Springboks' most proven big-match performers - was always there, but so was the desire to accelerate Sacha's development by exposing him to a game of this magnitude.

"Obviously it's always tempting to put a guy like Handre in a game like this, but he will probably get a run again next week. We know what Handre can do in games like this," Rassie said.

"But again we feel after the New Zealand game where Sacha played - now this is another step up for him.

"You also want Sacha to experience that next level of pressure - the crowd, the atmosphere, the enormity of a game of this size."

Front-row contingencies and a big chance for Boan Venter

In the front row, Boan Venter got the nod as the Boks continue to juggle combinations amid a run of injuries and suspensions to players like Ox Nche and Jan-Hendrik Wessels.

Erasmus said Venter is highly rated by the Bok coaching staff, who have faith in his ability to perform against France, but they also made contingency plans on the bench.

"Starting Boan, although he's got five caps already, we want to get him in the mix quickly with Thomas [du Toit] and Malcolm [Marx] and see how it goes because we really think he's a great player and great scrummer.

"But then we have three guys on the bench (Bulls trio Johan Grobbelaar, Gerhard Steenekamp and Wilco Louw) who have always played with each other, so a lot of thought went into it and it wasn't as easy as saying 'this is the team'.

"We've been hit pretty hard by injuries in the front row and this combination - while winning - will hopefully learn a lot in this game."

Andre Esterhuizen: The hybrid weapon

Erasmus also explained the thinking behind using Andre Esterhuizen as a hybrid forward-back option - a role the Boks believe could be crucial against France's size and tempo.

"We feel the French is a fast team. They're definitely heavy, big guys and that's why they have a 6-2 split. But we also feel we have to match them with pace.

"We thought having Andre out there - and he's now really made the step up, from the Barbarians to playing against Japan full on as a six flanker - and now he's starting to understand the mauling and the line-out calling and those kinds of things really well.

"It's a lekker option to have - to have cover at 12 and cover at six."

A special word for Siya on his 100th Test

With Siya Kolisi set to reach the rare 100-cap milestone, Rassie said the respect and admiration for the captain within the camp is unmistakable, with players and coaches alike appreciating the road he's travelled and how he has carried himself as a Springbok captain throughout.

"I think the whole thing is that he's been on the other side where it's really tough. You get two kinds of tough — trying to stay at the top or trying to get out of the bottom of life - and he had to get himself out of almost nowhere to get to the top. And then when he got to the top he got the captaincy and then that was heavy on him.

"The only thing I can really say about him - and I think you can ask the whole team - is he's just always stayed the same. Even when his career was in some doubt, before both World Cups with his knee, or when some people said he's too old, he continues to perform for us and his heart never wavered.

"One thing he can be proud of is that he represents South Africa from the old to the young. He understands South Africa and he's always stayed humble and serves the team, and that will always stand out for me."