I don’t understand this stubborn Bok attitude

IF EVER there was a match to experiment in, it would be the one against Italy.

So I don’t understand the Springbok coaching staff’s stubborn refusal to do so.

For their match in Padova, coach Allister Coetzee made four changes to his match day squad. And that sounds like quite a few, but it’s nothing considering the fact that two of those changes were enforced.

Up front, Pieter-Steph du Toit, who has recovered from the concussion he sustained against Ireland two weeks ago, replaces Siya Kolisi in the back row. The Stormers skipper returned to South Africa earlier this week for the birth of his second child.

The other change up front is in the front row, where Stormers hooker Bongi Mbonambi gets his first Test start in the place of the injured Malcolm Marx. During yesterday’s team announcement, Coetzee said that he doesn’t want to take any risks with Marx, who picked up a shoulder injury against France and is recovering from soft tissue bruising.

Bulls backline star Warrick Gelant and hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle form the two changes on the bench, with Damian de Allende dropping out of the matchday 23.

The rest of the team that scraped through against France remains the same, while Eben Etzebeth returns to the second row and will resume his captaincy after picking up a lower leg injury in Paris.

Yeah, it’s a couple of changes, but how can that be considered good enough?

The Springboks’ fixture in Padova is probably the one that can be considered the “easiest” of their end-of-year tour Tests, as their date with Wales – which falls outside of the international Test window on December 2 – can be expected to be another tough task.

The Boks’ shocking record 38-3 defeat to Ireland and their poor display at Stade de France were never expected to go that badly, but it did.

So, can things really get “We decided not to risk Malcolm, which means Bongi will get a well-deserved first start in the No 2 jersey. Bongi has worked hard and I have no doubt he will grab this opportunity with both hands, as will Chiliboy, should he get a run. “Warrick is in good form and his work-rate during training has been impressive. I know he will add value and I am very excited for the possibility of seeing him in action. “We respect the Italian side, they are well coached and I know they will be up for the challenge. However, we focus on ourselves and a disciplined and clinical performance is what is needed this weekend.” “It would be important for our pack to again create a good platform of which to play from and therefore our set piece will be key in the expected wet conditions.” any worse? I doubt it. Unless they lose to the Azzurri again.

What is the point of “rewarding outstanding form” by including deserving players in the Springbok group, only to give them a nice overseas trip and not use them properly, or at all, when it comes to game time and international exposure?1

Yes, Gelant could make his Springbok debut should he come off the bench this weekend, and that’s nice. But that’s if he comes off the bench.

And what about Lukhanyo Am? There is still no sight of the exciting centre on the Springbok team sheet, and if you’ve seen him do his thing with the Sharks, you’d find his continued omission pretty shocking. Also, if one looks at the man keeping him out – Jesse Kriel – Am’s name missing from the Bok matchday squad yet again becomes quite ridiculous. And Rudy Paige? Ross Cronje had one of his better games last week (one of the factors that made it a bit better was the fact that his box kicks were more on target). But it also wouldn’t hurt to give Paige some game time. After all, the Springboks need to properly assess their resources at scrumhalf – a position that continues to be problematic.

This was the game to shake things up. This was the game to take a risk or three. And yet again, the Bok coaching staff has decided to play it safe … as if that’s worked out for them.