Cape Town — The sudden unavailability of Elton Jantjies has shone the spotlight right back on the flyhalf situation in the Springbok squad for the next 12 months leading up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
We could see this coming from a long way off, but Bok coach Jacques Nienaber and the rest of the management refused to address the elephant in the room – a lack of specialist back-up at No 10.
That is mainly because they have been waiting for Johan Goosen to get fit again, which is likely to happen in the next few weeks, when the mercurial pivot gets back on to the pitch for the Bulls in the United Rugby Championship.
But is it wise to put all the Bok flyhalf eggs in the Goosen basket? That is not a slight on the 30-year-old former boy wonder of South African rugby. The ex-Cheetahs star just wants to enjoy the game, having gone through a tumultuous period in his career in France.
Goosen seemed to have a whale of a time with the Bulls in last year’s Currie Cup, but then sustained a serious knee injury that has kept him out of action for year now.
He is set to return for the Pretoria side within the next few weeks, and it is hoped he can prove his fitness and form in the URC before the end-of-year tour to Europe.
But is that fair on the man himself and the Bok team as a whole? He probably needs to play a good run of games before he is ready for Test rugby again, but now he will be under tremendous pressure to deliver for the national team following the Jantjies saga and Handre Pollard’s knee injury.
Damian Willemse has filled in at flyhalf and was excellent at No 10 in the 24-8 victory over the Wallabies in Sydney, and could be the long-term solution if he continues his upward curve as a chief playmaker — and improves his goal-kicking.
But the pivot cupboard is bare after that, as Independent Media understands Jantjies is unlikely to be considered for the November tour either, while Nienaber said he is “80% sure” that Pollard, along with Lukhanyo Am, will miss out on the European adventure as well, which includes Tests against Ireland, France, Italy and England, and two midweek matches against Munster and Bristol.
“Like in the previous Test, Frans Steyn covers us on flyhalf, with Gaza (Willemse) starting. Sometimes injuries are a bad thing – if you think about us losing Handre and what happened in the right-wing position,” Nienaber said about the immediate plans for tonight’s Rugby Championship clash against Argentina in Buenos Aires (9.10pm SA time kick-off).
“But the positive of that is that you get to test your depth and get some experience in your squad, and develop your squad depth. So, yes, Frans Steyn covers us at flyhalf this weekend.”
The flyhalf depth, though, has not been explored thoroughly, which could have prevented the crisis in the position at the moment.
Stormers No 10 Manie Libbok was superb in his team’s march to the URC title last season – ending as the top points-scorer with 171 – and he should have been part of the Bok camp this year to learn the ropes and be ready in case of an emergency.
The Bulls’ Chris Smith – who was second on the points list with 153 – is another candidate who could have been exposed to the Test camp, while Lions youngster Jordan Hendrikse is highly rated and another obvious solution.
But the Bok coaches opted not to go that route, and are now in a tricky situation. Steyn, for all his experience and big boot, is not a plausible option to wear the No 10 jersey all the way to the World Cup – if Willemse were to be injured any time soon.
What will it hurt to call on Libbok and Hendrikse for the end-of-year tour? They are young and will be around for the next two World Cups after 2023 at least…
IOL Sport