Hanekom, who was also qualified for Wales, is set to become the 52nd player Erasmus has used in the Springboks set-up this year after he was named on the bench for the Test in Cardiff.
The call-up comes on the back of consistent form for the Bulls over the last two seasons and, while Hanekom initially missed out on the Springboks squad, he was called up as a replacement for the injured Damian Willemse
Versatile
Erasmus, a former back-row himself, sees Hanekom as a seven or a number eight but the veteran coach refuses to narrow down the options of the young Bull.
“In my days as a player, we were just a No 6 or 7, not open or blindside. I believe in it,” said Erasmus.
“The only difference was if a guy can jump in the lineouts or not. Siya [Kolisi] is not a lineout jumper, but Cameron is. That’s why he’s good in the South African sense of a No 7 flanker. He’s also a very good eighth man … athletic, fast and all over the field.
Open play is the key
Erasmus believes that Hanekom will find his feet the quickest in open play and will allow the back-row some mistakes in the early part of his Test career.
“For a guy like Cameron, and anyone who comes into the team, I think things that happen most in a match are running, the rucks – there’s probably 140 in a game – and about 14 lineouts and eight scrums,” said Erasmus. “We really want to see him focusing on his general game.
“If he makes a mistake here and there at a lineout or in defence, those things happen in your first five Tests. But general play is usually where you find your feet. If he does what he always does, then things will go well for him.”
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