Lucky Maree
What is worse? Trusting Joseph Dweba in the run-on side or trusting Duane Vermeulen’s knee?
Before we all charge the gates of Rugby South Africa, it is good to remember that we are still very much in with a chance to win the Rugby Championship, although we would have liked to have smashed the All Blacks by two matches to none.
South Africa also beat the British and Irish Lions in 2021 under tough circumstances, recently beat Wales and, in case anybody has forgotten, we won the 2019 Rugby World Cup in grand style, although we lost to New Zealand in the pool matches (remember?).
That gives Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus, depending on how you do the sums, a brilliant tournament win record and through all those tournaments, there always seemed to be a longer term view.
Why does that matter?
How else can you justify letting Dweba wear the #2 jersey, and how else can you justify Duane Vermeulen and his wonky knee at eighth man? (To be fair, Dweba was just one of the problems in the team last week and the All Blacks tied us up in the line-outs. It’s unlikely that the Wallabies can do the same.)
The coaches have gone for five-three arrangements on the bench. Is it a strategic decision or is it, as Nienaber said, “We looked at what Australia will bring to the game and to give Elton and Frans Steyn some vital game time”?
Is there a hint of arrogance hidden in that statement? We’ll see.
And you can sort of justify Frans Steyn, but (oh, dear) how do you justify Elton Jantjies back on the bench? And talking about the bench, how long will Malcolm Marx sit on the bench this time?
This week’s team has a few serious question marks, but it depends on what the selectors come up with next week. The Boks are facing a schedule that will make any coach tremble. Not so much in the teams (the All Blacks threat is done and dusted for now), but in the schedule. Two matches on two consecutive weekends in Australia, then a week’s break before two matches against Argentina (one home, one away).
The two matches against New Zealand seem to indicate that two great matches in a row are extremely difficult (not impossible, but difficult) and if Rassie and Nienaber are looking for a way to do that, we should wish them all the luck in the world.
Springboks – 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Warrick Gelant, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de
Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Joseph Dweba, 1 Ox Nche.
Subs: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Kwagga Smith, 21 Jaden Hendrikse, 23 Elton Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn.
Image source: @TheSouthAfrican
