Cape Town - Willie le Roux or Cheslin Kolbe? JP Pietersen or Seabelo Senatla? Jaco Kriel or Francois Louw? These are just some of the questions facing Allister Coetzee despite the Springboks’ 2-1 series win over Ireland.
Coetzee was a relieved man in Port Elizabeth on Saturday night after the Boks came back from losing to a 14-man Ireland at Newlands to give the new coach a winning start.
And here is some of the good stuff - the scrums and lineouts functioned well, there was good mauling at stages and the defence was gritty and relentless. Faf de Klerk showed he should be the first-choice scrumhalf, Ruan Combrinck belongs in Test rugby and Pieter-Steph du Toit should undoubtedly be Eben Etzebeth’s lock partner.
Coetzee, though, will have to seriously consider whether it is still worth keeping on overseas-based loose forwards Duane Vermeulen and Francois Louw, as well as overseas-bound wing JP Pietersen.
Vermeulen and Louw lacked the intensity and work-rate that we’ve become accustomed to from them in the past. They needed to lead the way as experienced players, but instead it was Warren Whiteley, Siya Kolisi and even Jaco Kriel who made a greater impact.
There are a whole host of other top-class loose forwards who play in South Africa - Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Nizaam Carr, Jannes Kirsten, Lappies Labuschagne, Paul Schoeman and Uzair Cassiem are just some of the stand-outs in Super Rugby - who are good enough to play Test rugby.
There are also experienced campaigners in the shape of Keegan Daniel, Jean Deysel, Teboho Mohoje and Jacques Potgieter who could help out in an emergency.
As for Pietersen, he may have been named as the Man-of-the-Match in PE, but most observers would’ve felt that De Klerk was a more worthy recipient. Yes, the Sharks wing did well to catch Elton Jantjies’ excellent cross-kick to score and was more involved in general play and at the kickoffs, but he has lost that spark on attack.
Never the quickest Bok wing around, Pietersen’s ability to break tackles and be at the right place at the right time is not evident in his game any longer. There is a better alternative for the Rugby Championship, and that’s Senatla. The Blitzboks flyer will be going to the Olympics and wasn’t available for the Irish series, but can play for the Boks in August as the sevens competition ends on August 11.
The Boks face Argentina on August 20 in Nelspruit and again in Salta a week later, so Senatla could play off the bench at home and start in Argentina.
And the same applies to Kolbe. Le Roux’s errors on attack and defence should not be tolerated any longer, as he is an experienced player who should be setting the example. He was heavily criticised in most quarters for closing down the space of the outside backs by running across the field, and is looking to operate as a playmaker instead of a strike-runner.
Kolbe has proven over the last few years in Super Rugby that he is able to rein in his naturally attacking demeanour by finding space with his kicks downfield and defending courageously. Yes, he does get bumped off on occasion, but Le Roux is not exactly a powerhouse on defence either.
Kolbe is a tremendous attacking weapon with ball-in-hand, and has reduced his error-rate significantly in the last 12 months and always goes up wholeheartedly for any up-and-under.
Another Rio-bound Stormers star, Juan de Jongh, has to be seriously considered to rejuvenate the Bok backline in the Rugby Championship. Lionel Mapoe has been the best outside centre in Super Rugby, but hardly got an opportunity to showcase his line-breaking ability.
Inside centre Damian de Allende is a destructive runner, but since returning from a four-month layoff with an ankle injury, he hasn’t regained that solid passing game that made him such a force in 2015.
De Jongh was a strong operator at inside centre for the Stormers when De Allende was injured, and his leadership and organisational skills would come in handy, along with his devastating footwork that will be enhanced from his sevens campaign. It may just unlock the Bok backline to its full might.
Flyhalf Elton Jantjies has done enough to continue in the No 10 jersey against Argentina in August, but must continue to engage the defence and attack the gain-line like he did against Ireland in Port Elizabeth.
Pat Lambie is a fine playmaker and distributor, but Jantjies possesses that ability to produce a piece of “magic” that will be needed if the Boks hope to topple the All Blacks.
@IndyCapeSport
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