The ommission of Garth April from the Springbok side to face Ireland has Ashfak Mohamed wondering what happened to ‘If you’re good enough, you’re old enough’?
The best thing that Allister Coetzee could’ve done was to rather not pick Garth April in the Springbok squad for the Ireland Test series.
When he announced his initial 31-man squad and April was the first name out of SA Rugby president Oregan Hoskins’ mouth, it was a moment to rejoice as finally a Bok coach had seemingly removed the shackles and put his faith in a young black flyhalf with the ability to ignite the Bok attack.
No matter that April has started just three Super Rugby games this season, his obvious skill and ability under pressure was proven the day he outplayed Highlanders and All Black flyhalf Lima Sopoaga in his first start in the competition.
The Sharks were on a two-game losing streak and playing terribly conservative rugby at that stage, and coach Gary Gold – who opted for a fullback in veteran Joe Pietersen to play flyhalf instead of April after Pat Lambie’s shoulder injury – belatedly gave April an opportunity in possibly one of the most difficult situations imaginable.
The man who had played Cape club rugby less than a year before was expected to go toe-to-toe against an All Black pivot on his own Dunedin home patch – someone who had engineered a wonderful Test victory over the Boks on debut at Ellis Park last July.
But April was undaunted and slotted five penalties to win the game for the Sharks, and followed it up with an outstanding solo try against the Chiefs and another New Zealand Test flyhalf in Aaron Cruden a week later in Hamilton as the Sharks were unlucky to lose 24-22.
April continued his good form against the Hurricanes in Durban the next week, where he faced a third consecutive heir to Dan Carter’s throne in Beauden Barrett. But Lambie returned from injury and replaced April in the 53rd minute of the Canes game, and has had to take a back seat to the Sharks skipper since.
But Bok coach Coetzee himself used the example of Sopoaga being picked by All Black coach Steve Hansen as motivation for selecting April. “Garth April showed tremendous composure when he was chucked into the deep end when he played against Toulouse overseas (in a pre-season game for the Sharks in France),” Coetzee said on May 28.
“I think it’s important to note that one shouldn’t be scared to expose your young flyhalves early at that level. Because when New Zealand do it and bring a Sopoaga to Ellis Park and they play against the Boks and they win the Test, then it’s really great from the New Zealanders. And we are actually scared to do that.
“This boy’s got the ability to do it, and I was never going to select an overseas-based 10 to be a third flyhalf for South Africa. That’s how serious we are at SA Rugby to make sure that we do give our younger players an opportunity to come through.
“Garth April, it’s so clear. When this guy started for the Sharks, it turned the game around. He kicks well, he’s timing on the ball is good. And in all fairness, he actually organises as well as a young 10 and makes sure that he gets options outside and around him. He can manage a game, he can take the ball to the line.
“So we were crying out for flyhalves to be able to take the ball to the line, and now that we have the flyhalf that can take it to the line, now we are wondering about if he’s old enough. And you know what, Naas’ expression, ‘If you’re good enough, you’re old enough’. And I think he’s good enough.”
So, what has changed since then? What necessitated the call to Morné Steyn on Saturday night at Newlands after Lambie got hurt in the challenge from CJ Stander?
Coetzee changed his tune on Thursday when he named Steyn ahead of April on the bench for Saturday’s second Test at Ellis Park, with Elton Jantjies starting at No 10.
“I said it from the start when I was appointed that the reason why I brought in Garth April was to make sure that Garth develops as a player, and by developing, he gets closer to the Springbok squad.
“I wouldn’t want to select overseas-based players as a number three – only one and two. When I wake up tomorrow morning and Elton Jantjies is not well, who do I fall back on to? At least I’ve got a Morné Steyn that’s done it, and been there in Test-match rugby.
“It will give the team confidence and give everyone confidence in the set-up. He’s been there with the Springboks for the last four years, so it’s nothing new to him. And that’s how I would like to look at the development of youngsters like Garth April.
“I know there’s an expectation that youngsters must play, but you can also destroy youngsters and there’s a way of blooding young players. And I feel that’s the way I go about doing it.”
April turns 25 on July 16. He has the pedigree, having made the SA Schools side for two consecutive years in 2008 and 2009. Injury has largely affected his progress up to now, but there’s no doubt that he has the ability to play Test rugby. And it was Coetzee who said that…
Steyn is playing in France at the moment, and we all know his limitations on attack. Yes, the Boks lost to Ireland at Newlands, but Coetzee was supposedly embarking on this new path of making better use of the ball on attack, with the boot and ball-in-hand.
How would Steyn instil that kind of confidence?
April has shown that he can mix up his game cleverly, and has the boot and tactical game to take on the best in the world.
So, what happened to Naas Botha’s line of ‘If you’re good enough, you’re old enough’?
@IndyCapeSport