Aphelele Fassi trusted in the Bok camp to show his class against England

Fassi has been selected as a fullback in the first 15, ahead of veteran campaigner Willie le Roux, who could have been playing in his 99th test match and edged closer to his century of test matches.

Erasmus, who believes in the traditional gradual introduction of talent, says this is the perfect game for Fassi to prove his talent.

"You're so right, I'm really glad you asked that question because we can understand what the fans see and what the opposition sees and what the media see and their families see. We are talking about all players but sometimes you just have that feeling you know, he hasn't had a klaap from the opposition yet in a big game where he got the shock and says 'Yay, now I'm in the big league' and he has to get that somewhere,” Erasmus said.

“Now if he's getting that in a team where there is a lot of youngsters, you need somebody to stand by him. I think the way we help him, he's become a gritty tough player while having the magic that Fassi has."

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Erasmus, who calls Fassi the “township tackler”, believes that the Sharks fullback comes to this game with the skills needed in the kind of game that the Boks want to play.

"Now he's gliding over the field but he's also really physical and also really goes harder for the ball and he also defends very well. The way he's testing the guys there and he will get tested on that and the crowd make a massive thing,” the coach added.

“80 000 people, that ball is going a little bit higher and you can hear the footsteps. So, yes we try to do it at the right times, we don't always get it right but sometimes you wait a little bit longer and then the guy's career might just go a little bit deeper if you do it the right way."