Absence makes fans grow fonder of Whiteley and Cronjé
Warren Whiteley and Ross Cronjé’s Springboks shares rose even more in their absence as the Boks comfortably beat France in Johannesburg on Saturday to secure a 3-0 series win.
Whiteley, as he had done with the Lions, immediately galvanised the 2017 Springboks. He led through an infectious enthusiasm, with calmness and also with skills more associated with loose-forwards from an era when rugby was a sport and not a business.
Whiteley is an outstanding Super Rugby player and in this first season as Springbok captain, he was equally impressive as an international player. He played well and led well. His unavailability for the series finale was made easier because it made no difference to the series result, but it gave the Springboks a different feel – and it’s one that was less exciting, inviting and imposing.
Sharks youngster Jean-Luc du Preez was efficient as a No 8, but he was not Whiteley. The two have different skills and the Springboks, against France, were more potent with Whiteley’s skills at No 8 and Du Preez playing as the big blindside loose-forward ball carrier. This allowed for Siya Kolisi or Jaco Kriel to play to the ball.
In the third Test win, the Springboks were forced to rejig the back row combinations because of Whiteley’s late withdrawal, but it was a reminder that three good individuals don’t necessarily make as good a combination.
Kriel, Kolisi and Du Preez all had good individual matches, but they lacked that something extra we saw from a Bok loose trio built around Whiteley in the opening two Tests.
Cronjé, at scrumhalf, was another whose importance was emphasised in his absence.
Cronjé’s skill set is understated but hugely effective. He may lack the maverick presence of Francois Hougaard and Faf de Klerk, but Cronjé is currently the best exponent of scrumhalf play in SA. He does the basics well, reads play exceptionally and Elton Jantjies, at flyhalf, looks decidedly more settled when Cronjé is on his inside.
The Whiteley, Cronjé and Jantjies axis worked a treat in the first two Test wins, but there wasn’t the same fluency or authority from Du Preez, Hougaard and Jantjies as a collective.
The Boks won easily and were never troubled during the Test series.
France were outmuscled, outthought and outplayed.
You can only beat who is in front of you, and the Boks can only be judged on who they have played.
Just how the Boks will shape against Argentina, Australia and New Zealand in the Rugby Championship will only be clear once those firstround games have been played.
What the Boks did achieve against France was to reignite the optimism of the South African rugby public. They played with vigour and they played with respect for each other, the jersey and the paying and supporting public.
For this, they must all be applauded.
Keohane is a multiple-award winning sports journalist and former Springbok communications manager. Read him on www.keo.co.za and www.twitter.com/mark_keohane
●