'Incredible': Erasmus tweets about smart tactics' of Sexton, Steyn

South African director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has tweeted praise for veteran pair Johnny Sexton and Frans Steyn and the way they are still a force at the highest level of Test rugby with their respective teams, Ireland and the Springboks.

The 37-year-old Sexton has arrived into the 2022/23 season off the back of the historic Test series victory away to the All Blacks that currently has Ireland positioned at No1 in the World Rugby rankings. Meanwhile, the 35-year-old Steyn stepped off the Springboks bench last Saturday in Buenos Aires in place of the concussed Damian Willemse to steer them to their Rugby Championship victory over Argentina.

With South Africa currently third on the World Rugby rankings, they now go in search of the Championship title in this weekend’s Durban rematch versus the Pumas, a match that will see utility back Steyn run onto the pitch wearing his country’s No10 jersey for the first time since a June 2008 game versus Italy.

Showing a picture of the world rankings with the positions of Ireland and the Springboks circled, Erasmus also uploaded pictures of Sexton and Steyn to his Twitter account that had the ages of both players circled.

In the accompanying text, Erasmus wrote: “My opinion. Just incredible how these two top guys and players still doing the job at the highest level considering the type of players they are - physicality and smart tactics every game. Lekka!! Proud.”

The compliment about the two 30-somethings is an intriguing observation for Erasmus, the Springboks rugby boss, to make as it is now practically just a year out from when Ireland take on South Africa in what is viewed as the pivotal Pool B fixture in Paris at the 2023 World Cup finals.

Steyn was named as the Springboks No10 on Tuesday after head coach Jacques Nienaber opted against recalling the axed Elton Jantjies to the squad after he was sent home the previous week from Argentina due to allegations about his personal life.