Cape Town - The Springboks will manage the game time of fullback Willie le Roux during the upcoming Rugby Championship.
While the 28-year-old is very much the first-choice No 15 for the Boks after impressive performances in the June Tests against England, he will play a limited role in this year's Rugby Championship.
Much of that has to do with Bok coach Rassie Erasmus's dealings with English club Wasps, who start their season in three weeks, but there is more to it than that.
Sport24 understands that Le Roux is available for all six Rugby Championship Test matches, but that he will be given some time on the sidelines.
Erasmus is understood to be keen on fielding 20-year-old Damian Willemse at fullback when Le Roux is rested and the coach is encouraging Le Roux to mentor the Stormers youngster throughout the tournament.
Rugby Pass reported on Tuesday that Le Roux would only participate in three Rugby Championship matches.
"Rassie has been good to deal with and every player wants to play Test rugby if they have that opportunity and if there was a different regime in charge of South Africa then I don’t know if Willie would have wanted to continue," the website quoted Wasps director of rugby Dai Young as saying.
"The World Cup in Japan next year is a massive draw and we have seen players getting back involved with Australia. If this was the first year of the four-year World Cup cycle that may not be the case."
The Boks kick off their Rugby Championship campaign next Saturday when they host Argentina in Durban.