VIDEO: The Springboks haven’t signed Evan Roos yet, but now it’s time for Elrigh Louw to show his talents at No. 8 in the Springboks’ two test matches against the Wallabies in Australia.

When Roos was rejected by the Springboks for the Rugby Championship matches in Australia after the Test match against Portugal, there were rumours that he was no longer favoured by the Springboks’ selection committee.

On Tuesday, a day before the Boks depart for their tour Down Under, Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus made it clear that Roos could very well play a role in the Green and Gold this year.

There are rumours that Japanese clubs are keeping an eye on Roos and that he is on the hit list of at least two Japanese Rugby League One teams.

However, the 24-year-old player still has a three-year contract with the Stormers.

Erasmus strongly rejected the claim that Roos was not in the running.

“We have two full, detached vanguard troops.

“Marco (van Staden) and Siya (Kolisi) can play No. 6, Pieter-Steph (du Toit) and Ben-Jason (Dixon) can play No. 7, and Kwagga (Smith) and Elrigh (Louw) can play No. 8.

“Elrigh can also play number 7,” Erasmus explained.

“I don’t think Pieter-Steph will be used at number 8, and Evan (Roos) is certainly not out of the running.

“Before the Test match against Portugal we said to the boys: ‘You’ve got a chance here, go out there and put your hand up.’”

“And a few guys certainly did.

“But we also need to experience Elrigh against the big countries, because he was always part of our plans.”

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According to Erasmus, Louw underperformed, but at the same time the Springbok management knows very well what Roos is capable of.

“He (Louw) has dropped in form, he will admit that himself, and we know what Evan can do now. And Evan is not thrown away, we still have nine test matches this year,” he confirmed.

“Just like we played away against Argentina last year, we chose a completely different team than against Portugal.

“So we are building a stronger selection.

“We know what Evan can do, he certainly hasn’t had a bad game. And we know he feels comfortable in the Springbok line-up.

“We will now see whether Elrigh gets a chance and what he can do.

“We try to put our heads together.

“We know what he (Roos) can do and we have no problem with what he has done for us.

“But it’s time to give Elrigh a chance against top nations and see what he can do.

“The Bulls were the deepest in the league and he was definitely one of the most physical players in that lineup,” the coach said.

Erasmus refuted the claim that Roos had a different style of play at the Stormers than at the Springboks.

“In defense, the roles are pretty much the same as with the Stormers.

“I think most South African teams have more or less the same defensive mindset. There are maybe small adjustments here and there.

“But we are quite familiar with the way the Stormers defend with Normal Laker (the Stormers’ defence coach) there.

“There are no other regulations than those we will have for Elrigh, Pieter-Steph, Kwagga or whoever.

“We’re not going to play his game this way.

“I would say we encouraged him more to play the way Evan wanted to play, and he did.

“He made a few mistakes, like anyone who hasn’t played ten Test matches,” he concluded.