Why Rassie Erasmus chose not to include Ntlabakanye in the New Zealand tour amid doping concerns

The Springboks have no control over the case involving Asenathi Ntlabakanye, and while they could have selected him for the trip to New Zealand, head coach Rassie Erasmus said it would have been unfair to saddle the player with additional responsibility.

That’s why they’ve decided to let Ntlabakanye focus on defending his case, while the team continues the Rugby Championship tour against the All Blacks without him. The first of two Tests will be played at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.

Ntlabakanye was charged by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) after testing positive for a prohibited “non-performance enhancing” substance during a random drug test.

“We could’ve brought him on tour, but I had a long conversation with him about it,” Erasmus said from New Zealand.

“If you look at the emotional and personal side of it, having Asenathi on tour would’ve led to a lot of questions for him. To play and be ready for a Test, your focus must be 100% on the match. I think in this situation, he needs to deal with the matter and ensure he presents his side of the case. It’s very emotional for him.

“Unfortunately, it would not have been in his best interest to be here with us. We had a good talk. This process takes a lot of energy which is essential when going into a Test match. It would’ve been unfair to put him under that pressure and expect him to play while he has this to deal with.”

Erasmus also confirmed that scrumhalf Faf de Klerk will join the team on Monday after being called up to the squad. Young No 9 Morne van den Berg is struggling with a minor injury, but according to Erasmus, he is on the mend.

The Springbok team for the first All Blacks clash will be announced on Thursday, giving the coaching staff time to finalize selections while players continue to analyse the opposition and what they can expect on Saturday.