'Masterful coaching': Ex All Black sees genius in Nienaber and Erasmus plan

From injuries to results, plenty of people would think that South Africa’s World Cup title defence has not gone to plan so far. But former All Black Andrew Mehrtens believes an intricate plan devised by Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus is falling into place nicely.

While no coach would want to see any players get injured, it is a reality of rugby and World Cups that casualties will occur as the tournament progresses. Speaking on the Official Rugby World Cup 2023 podcast this week, the 70-cap All Black said that injuries in the Springbok camp have allowed the coaches to call upon their favoured fly-half, Handre Pollard, while also sending a message to the 2019 World Cup winner.

Despite originally missing out on South Africa’s 33-man World Cup squad, Pollard was called up as a replacement for injured hooker Malcolm Marx, and is now expected by many to start ahead of Manie Libbok going forward. Mehrtens believes this was the plan all along by Nienaber and Erasmus, but they have also been given the opportunity to send a shot across the bows of a player “who has got comfortable in his position”.

“I wondered if it was just masterful coaching,” the 50-year-old said. “You know at a World Cup you are going to have injuries and you are going to be able to replace players. Did they know? We have seen it with New Zealand as well, they have brought in Ethan Blackadder. You know there is going to be some attrition on the way through. Maybe you’ve got a senior guy who has got comfortable in his position and he gets a bit of a jab, doesn’t get picked but he is going to turn up at the business end of the competition, maybe it was that.

“Libbok is a fantastic and exciting player. Pollard is just awesome, already a World Cup winner, proven success.”

The fact that a hooker was replaced by a fly-half, leaving them threadbare in the No2 department, suggests there is some veracity to what Mehrtens is saying.  Then again, this plan may have all been reactionary after South Africa’s kicking struggles in their loss to Ireland at the Stade de France.

Former Scotland No8 Johnnie Beattie and 2019 World Cup winner Schalk Brits joined the podcast as well, where they gave their takes on who will start out of the two fly-halves for South Africa.

“I’ll make a prediction,” the former Saracen said. “They will start with Pollard, they’ll go with a six-two split and they will put Manie on the bench. The backline moves better with Libook there, he brings some x-factor to that team. Maybe the six-two split is a better combination for us.”

Beattie added: “Libbok has been phenomenal in the URC with his franchise in South Africa but if you’re ticking under 80 per cent on your top-level goalkicker you’re leaving 11 points out there against Ireland. You take those points, you win the game. I fully expect Pollard to be their starter.”