If the Springboks and Allister Coetzee want to see the best of Elton Jantjies, then the flyhalf needs to be given full control of the backline.
A new and somewhat irritating development in our rugby in recent times has seen the fullback coming into the flyhalf position or “first receiver” to supposedly vary the play or utilise the No 15’s boot on occasion.
We’ve seen it at times at the Stormers, where Cheslin Kolbe is asked to add some sparkle to the attack, and also at the Junior Springboks at the Under-20 Championship in Manchester.
In fact, the way flyhalf Manie Libbok and fullback Curwin Bosch traded positions was a contributing factor to the SA Under-20s’ comprehensive 39-17 semi-final defeat to England on Monday, as the backline looked confused and lacked cohesion on attack.
For me, Jantjies should be the ultimate Bok general, and not have to share the duties with Willie le Roux. We saw evidence of this happening in both Tests against Ireland at Newlands and Ellis Park, where Le Roux has slipped into the pivot spot and kicked downfield – usually straight into the arms of an Irish back – or try to create space for an outside back.
That should be the flyhalf’s job alone, in this case Jantjies. He should be the main decision-maker, especially on attack. Then we could see the problem of the forwards sometimes being in the way eradicated, or inside centre Damian de Allende tucking the ball under one arm and trying to bash his way through the Irish defence.
Jantjies is on song when he is calling the shots 99 percent of the time, as he does at the Lions, and that played a major role in the Boks’ last-quarter comeback in Johannesburg. It was the No 10 who threw those long passes into space for Ruan Combrinck out wide, and who asked questions of the Irish defence himself as well and increased the tempo.
Le Roux does possess some superb stepping and offloading skills, but his actual strength has always been his speed and ability to cut the line from the back. Running across the field was his downfall at Newlands, but the way he set up Combrinck’s try by running hard and into a gap instead of laterally was the difference.
One of Le Roux’s finest performances in a Bok jersey came against England at Twickenham in November 2014, where he delivered one of those champagne displays. The most memorable moment of that match was when flyhalf Pat Lambie put a chip kick over the English defence, and it was Le Roux who read the play and caught the ball before throwing a back-of-the-hand “Sonny Bill special” to Cobus Reinach, who ran in the try.
That is how a flyhalf should dictate play. With the All Blacks, it was never in doubt that Dan Carter was the commander, through a pass or a tactical kick.
Sure, Le Roux can assist in the wider channels, but he should be more of a strike-runner than a playmaker from fullback. So Coetzee should leave Elton Jantjies to it to get the Bok attack purring in the series decider at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
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