Div’s thoughtless gamble
4 Nov 2010
JON CARDINELLI can’t see a Springbok side devoid of form and established combinations ending a 10-year losing streak in Dublin.
Bok coach Peter de Villiers has decided to roll the dice. It’s a gamble that could cost the Boks dearly.
While injuries have limited his options, there’s little sense in the midfield selection for Saturday’s Test. The decision to break up a provincial and national halfback combination is also equally questionable.
If he is fit, Jean de Villiers will line up alongside the untried Zane Kirchner in midfield, although the team sheet suggests Pat Lambie will start if De Villiers fails to recover from a groin injury. If it’s a ploy to deceive the Irish, it’s a pathetic one. A De Villiers-Kirchner combo isn’t going to strike fear into the hearts of the hosts. It’s a combo that has a few potential shortcomings that may be exploited by the experienced opposition.
Outside centre is the most important position on defence. While De Villiers is so often credited with marshalling the Bok backline from the No 12 position, Jaque Fourie has an important decision-making role at 13. Can Kirchner, with no significant experience in the position, be as effective? The question should be can Kirchner hold his own against a Irish backline that boasts Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll. I fear the answer to both questions is no.
Francois Hougaard was one of the standouts in the Tri-Nations for a losing Bok team. He was only trusted to start in the last three matches, and while the youngster made a few mistakes, his partnership with Morne Steyn blossomed. It’s a harsh call to bench him at this point, and a strange one to name Ruan Pienaar in his place.
Pienaar has been playing scrumhalf for Ulster in Ireland, but the standard of European club rugby is certainly not up to that of Test level. It’s not a terrible decision to hand him an opportunity given that his attacking skills and accurate boot will be useful in northern hemisphere conditions, but it’s the wrong one if you remember the synergy Hougaard and Steyn have developed in the last few months. Why not keep the continuity going?
It will be interesting to see just how the Bok back three reacts should Ireland kick on them this Saturday. Gio Aplon has a sound kicking game that was under-utilised in the Super 14 because the counter-attacking opportunities were plentiful. In the north, the conditions prescribe a more conservative approach, regardless of the new laws. Aplon will need to rediscover his range, as neither Bryan Habana nor Bjorn Basson are strong kicking options.
While he’s compromised the synergy of the backline by picking new players, Peter de Villiers has favoured established combinations in the tight five. The Sharks’ front row that started the Currie Cup final are preferred, while the legendary Bulls second row are back in business for the first time since the Tri-Nations opener on 10 July.
Deon Stegmann is the new face in the loose trio, playing for the first time alongside Juan Smith. It will be up to the latter to bring the necessary hard edge to the loose-forward effort, as Stegmann’s size limits his potential as a ball carrier and dominant defender. Pierre Spies will be under pressure to prove his critics wrong by producing a big defensive performance.
The make up of the Bok bench suggests Victor Matfield, who’s already played more than his fair share in 2010, will soldier on for the full 80 yet again. Flip van der Merwe will be asked to perform the tight-lock duties when he replaces Bakkies Botha in the second stanza.
The selection of Willem Alberts is pending his recovery from a calf injury. Indeed, it’s strange that De Villiers would go into this game with the conventional 4-3 split on the bench. It’s set to be a testing forward tussle, and including an extra forward on the bench would have been wiser.
Springboks -15 Gio Aplon, 14 Bjorn Basson, 13 Zane Kirchner, 12 Jean de Villiers/Pat Lambie, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Deon Stegmann, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Willem Alberts/ Keegan Daniel, 20 Francois Hougaard, 21 Adi Jacobs, 22 Pat Lambie/ Lwazi Mvovo.
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303 Comments
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5 Nov 2010, 13:43 pm
@OUToftheBOKS(OUToftheBOKS) :
I said that he was doing the hard work that Louw should have been doing. Louw was far too anonymous. Please read before writing a response.
5 Nov 2010, 15:18 pm
You waht I love about these journos:
“can’t see a Springbok side devoid of form and established combinations ending a 10-year losing streak in Dublin”.
The opening line is copied word for word from Planterugby and their review of Springboks vs Ireland.
Comon fella, atleast change the sentence structure….geez
8 Nov 2010, 03:28 am
In the shambles of the reckless replacement of the Boks there was created for P deV the opportunity to get his ego investment (Jacobs) back onto the field. Jacobs should’nt even be in the squad but deV persists with him. He is past his use by date but don’t be surprised if deV attempts to get him (and his walking stick) to the world cup.
If deV isn’t culpable then his masters are and if he is worth his salt he should tell them to get lost.
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