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Allister Coetzee has little to lose and everything to gain by backing South Africa's future rugby stars on their November tour.
Four out of nine. That how the Springbok record under the tutelage of Allister Coetzee reads. That is 44%. A sobering and alarming statistic for any fervent South African rugby supporter. First of all we must acknowledge and accept a simple truth. A truth that has been lurking under the surface for several years, a truth that South Africa's rugby fraternity has blocked its ears and covered its eyes to: South Africa is no longer a force in world rugby.
The Springbok aura has faded and waned and currently lies in tatters. A disastrous loss to Japan last year in the opening round of the World Cup made this a reality but it had been coming for a long time. And there looks to be no signs of amelioration, if anything, matters will only get worse before they get better. After an unconvincing 2-1 home series victory over a depleted Ireland side (that included South Africa's first ever defeat to Ireland on home soil), and a forgettable Rugby Championship (the Boks finished 3rd), Allister Coetzee's charges will head to England with their tail between their legs.
The Boks will face the Barbarians, England, Italy and Wales in November. Expect a defeat at the hands of England and possibly even Wales. The Bok's should have enough to put a poor Italian side away but after the loss to Japan, I would not be too confident
The tour kicks off with a match that is outside the official test window against the Barbarians. This means that the Boks will be without 14 foreign based players including those on quasi contracts with Japanese clubs (such as Jaco Kriel, Warren Whiteley and Elton Jantjies). Moreover the Boks will be without the tall timber of Lood de Jager who is suspended after a dangerous clean out against the All Blacks. This means that Allister Coetzee has been forced to pick an entirely different squad for the Barbarians game. It will be incredibly inexperienced but youthful and exuberant. As a result, this is the game I am most looking forward too.
Coetzee has no choice but to be brave in this encounter. That means backing the form Currie Cup wings: Jamba Ulengo and Sergeal Petersen. This provides a dangerous attacking impetus out wide that has the potential to cause havoc if in space. However, the Boks have struggled to get the ball to the wings this year, due to a series of stalled and static centre partnerships. Therefore, the Boks must utilise the services of the burly Rohan Janse van Rensburg. The gargantuan Lions centre has been in sublime form this year and has forced Coetzee's hand. Outside van Rensburg, Cheetah's captain and inspirational talisman Francois Venter, is the obvious selection. Venter has been a stalwart for the Bloemfontein based franchise for several seasons and his call up is more than justified. Not only is Venter in the neophyte squad for the Barbarians game, but has also cracked the nod for the official Springbok squad. Meaning that at the culmination of the Barbarians fixture, Venter will stay on in Twickenham and tour with the incumbent Springboks.
With van Rensburg's brute force and Venter's wit and guile the Boks have a potent midfield combiantion capable of unlocking any opposition defence and creating space for the likes of Ulengo and Petersen.
Rounding off the back three my vote goes to Bulls youngster Jesse Kriel over the diminutive, but brave, Cheslin Kolbe. Kriel is yet to start a Spirngbok test in his preffered position of Fullback. Bizarrely Coetzee seems to trust Kriel more out of position at outside centre than at fifteen. However, a Barbarians match provides the perfect testing ground for a Kriel experiment.
The halfback pairing will be crucial. Elton Jantjies, despite sensational form for the Lions, has not convinced for the Springboks and, as a result, should not be trusted at 10. Patrick Lambie is the only fly half left in contention and must be backed and nurtured in the role. Lambie's career has failed to live up to its early promise but, perhaps, an extended run in his preferred position would do his confidence the world of good. The scrumhalf position is a difficult one. Both Rudi Paige and Faf de Klerk are available and both have been used extensively this year (de Klerk far more than Paige). This selection will determine the brand of rugby that Coetzee wishes to employ. Does he back de Klerk's speed, x-factor and game changing ability or does Coetzee call for the more reliable and conservative Rudi Paige? I believe that Paige must be utilised simply because de Klerk's passing is too frenetic and inconsistent. Lambie cannot afford to get rattled with unreliable passing and therefore Paige's dependable service wins him my vote at 9.
Up front is where Coetzee must truly be brave. The experienced duo of Tendai Mtawarira and Captain Adriaan Strauss are available for the Barbarians match, but it would be ludicrous to pick either of them. Mtawarira looks tired and is in much need of a sabbatical while young gun, Bulls prop Lizo Gboqka looks the real deal and deserves a start. Strauss is clearly out of form and with his imminent retirement coming at the end of the tour, Coetzee should be looking to blood his future replacement. This leaves Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx. Mbonambi is a journeymen but offers accurate lineout throwing and solid donkey work at the breakdowns. While Marx, in stark contrast, is a tear away contemporary Hooker but struggle's at lineout time. I would support the decision to start Mbonambi for his dependability and then bring Marx on off the bench in the second half to inject his pace and power. This leaves the only specialist tighthead in the group, Lourens Adrianse, to complete the front row.
In the second row Etzebeth is in much need of a sabbatical and therefore standout 2.06m lock RG Snyman should pair up with, recently named, SA Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit. Finally in the backrow, Roelof Smit is the prototypical openside. He is a masterful pilferer of the ball and his ability to slow down opposition quick ball, which nullifies their attack, makes him a serious asset. Along with Smit, Coetzee should include the young Jean-Luc Du Preez over the incumbent Teboho Mohoje. And at 8th man Nizaam Carr's athleticism, ability to play a linking role, and offloading ability, rounds off a well balanced loose trio.
This is Coetzee's opportunity to experiment and be brave. This year is not a dead rubber, despite a poor winning record, Coetzee must blood in the youngsters in a baptism of fire in order to expose them to International rugby and the Springbok culture before the 2017 campaign. We should not be viewing this tour as a chance to turn around the season by scraping out close victories in battle's of attrition. But, rather, using this tour as a springboard to build a powerful team for next year. After all, fortune favours the brave.
My starting xv: 15. Jesse Kriel, 14. Sergeal Petersen, 13. Francois Venter, 12. Rohan Janse van Rensburg, 11. Jamba Ulengo, 10. Patrick Lambie, 9. Rudi Paige, 8. Nizaam Carr, 7. Jean-Luc Du Preez, 6. Roelof Smit, 5. Pieter-Steph du Toit, 4. RG Snyman, 3. Lourens Adriaanse, 2. Bongi Mbonambi 1. Lizo Gboqka
