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Solving the Springboks' No.10 conundrum

By Daniel Gallan
Handre Pollard (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

There are serious problems at No 10. There is no universally loved figure ready and able to occupy this crucial post. The incumbent is a lame duck and has been accused of prioritising the interests of a small constituency in the Midlands over the national interest. There have been accusations that the person entrusted with running the show is little more than a puppet. Inertia and ineptitude, mostly a consequence of the organisation’s own short-sightedness, could be the reason we see a handover in power within the next 12 months.

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British politics and South African rugby don’t often track on parallel paths, but the turmoil engulfing Downing Street and the concerns around the Springboks flyhalf position are eerily similar.

Like the leader of the Conservative Party (whoever that is by the time you read this), Jacques Nienaber has a conundrum to solve. If he wants to stay on as head coach after rugby’s quadrennial election, better known as the World Cup, he’ll have to find an answer to the burning question that has plagued so many of his forebears.

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Griquas coach Pieter Bergh confirmed that Rosko Specman will move to Kimberley on November 1 on a one-year contract

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Griquas coach Pieter Bergh confirmed that Rosko Specman will move to Kimberley on November 1 on a one-year contract

Who is South Africa’s best flyhalf right now?

It’s a little complicated. Handre Pollard, the man who steered South Africa to a third World Cup title in Japan three years ago, is once again injured. He joined Leicester Tigers at the start of their Premiership title defence already nursing some damage to his knee. His comeback lasted just 26 minutes on the artificial turf at Saracens in a 51-18 loss earlier this month and is undergoing rehabilitation following surgery.

Pollard Leicester injury
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Elton Jantjies, Pollard’s deputy in Japan, is effectively out of the picture after a spate of allegations placing him at the heart of a sex scandal which is, frankly, none of our business. It does however mean that he has been excluded from the Springboks’ European tour. On Tuesday, Rassie Erasmus told journalists that Jantjies’ omission was partially founded on rugby principles, but did admit that the mark against Janjties’ character has played a significant role.

So that’s the first and second choice taken off the board. Tory MPs will relate.

Thankfully, South African rugby is blessed with four formidable franchises in the United Rugby Championship each with their own set of fly halves at the ready. If only rugby was played in an ideal world.

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Damien Willemse, the most talented and versatile of the remaining candidates, isn’t a flyhalf. His two games for the Stormers this year have been at 12 and 15, the two positions where his skillset is best utilised.

Willemse is a feel player, a man who thrives on broken play and pounces off a fragmented platform. Of course he is astute enough to stick to the rigid strategy of the Springboks, but asking him to dictate proceedings would be like asking Ginger Baker to lead a marching band. He’ll do it, and do it to the best of his abilities, but wouldn’t you rather have him smashing cymbals further back?

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It should be noted that the Springboks won both matches that Willemse started at 10, but, with respect to Australia and Argentina, sterner trials await. Any evaluations of his long term future at flyhalf will have to made until he’s been tested against Ireland, France and England in the coming months.

That is, if he gets the chance to do so. According to SuperSport, Johan Goosen has “the inside track” on the Springbok 10 position and was the only flyhalf included in the recent 26-man training squad. The 30-year-old last represented his country in 2016 when he started at fullback in a 27-13 loss in Cardiff but began his international career in 2012 at 10.

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Goosen has impressed in patches for the Bulls, stepping into the void left by the retired Morne Steyn (who will surely return in 2033 as a 49-year-old for the next Lions tour to South Africa) and offers a safe pair of hands should Nienarber wish to deploy Willemse in a more free-ranging role.

Nienaber could have turned to Frans Steyn, as he did against Argentina in Durban, but a knee injury has kept the veteran back sidelined. Just as well. For all his attributes, Steyn has never been a flyhalf and doesn’t play there for the Cheetahs.

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Which brings us to the real burning question: If every candidate has caveats and concerns next to their name, where is everyone else? The current ruling party in the UK might be called the Conservatives but it is a more fitting moniker for the Springboks.

Manie Libbok’s exclusion from the group has stirred the most debate. The Springbok team management has not fully shut the door on the Stormers pivot, stating that “anything could happen” over the course of the next few months, but it is baffling that he has not been pencilled in as a non-playing reserve given his recent form.

It’s not just Libbok. Gianni Lombard (Lions), Chris Smith (Bulls), Boeta Chamberlain (Sharks) and Sacha Mngomezulu – the 20-year-old former who has attracted attention from Eddie Jones given his familial links to England – have all been ignored.

Erasmus, Nienaber and their backline coach, Mzwandile Stick, played with a straight bat on Tuesday but they were merely blocking and deflecting. They called for patience and sought to dampen excitement around young players who might make costly errors, but, if given the licence to express themselves, could turn the Springboks into more than just a blunt object.

We’ve seen glimpses of the latent potential in the backline. Canan Moodie has been a revelation on the wing, Jaden Hendrikse has injected speed and intent from scrum half and Warrick Gelant, who signed with Racing 92 in February, has shown that he can light up any field he steps on.

Add in the talents of Lukhanyo Am and Cheslin Kolbe and this Springbok side has enough hot-steppers and back-of-the-hand off-loaders to choke a highlights reel. Put those names behind that indomitable pack and you’ve got the ingredients for a dynastic force.

Such a scenario may yet come to pass. But the orthodoxy and steadfast adherence to traditionalism demonstrated by Nienaber and Erasmus shows that this is wishful thinking. The door at Downing Street might be rotating at a frantic pace, but the Springboks’ views on No 10 remain unchanged.

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Trevor 25 minutes ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
B
Bull Shark 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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