Young guns get the Lions share in Coetzee’s Bok squad
OF the eight uncapped players Springbok coach Allister Coetzee added to his squad yesterday‚ four are from the Lions.
That in itself is a belated nod to the excellence displayed by the Johannesburgbased franchise in the last two seasons.
It could also be an acknowledgement of the mistake made last season when Lions players were not preferred‚ only for them to save Coetzee’s bacon in the Ireland series.
With the Lions again showing they’re a cut above the rest‚ their weight of numbers is showing but what will the new boys bring to the table? Ruan Dreyer (Lions) Position: Tighthead prop With the Lions having the most functional scrum in Super Rugby‚ it was always going to make sense for Coetzee to pick one of their frontrowers.
With Julian Redelinghuys missing in action with what could be a career-ending neck injury‚ Dreyer has seamlessly filled the void. France may not have England or Ireland’s scrumming power but they will ask questions of a green prop and the conservative Coetzee may not want to throw Dreyer into the deep end like he did with Malcolm Marx. But with Frans Malherbe not in the best of form‚ Dreyer could be pressed into service sooner rather than later. Ross Cronje (Lions) Position: Scrumhalf Cronje moved from being an overrated schoolboy star with unlimited potential to an important cog in the Lions’ attacking unit. His service and kicking from the base of the scrum have taken pressure off flyhalf Elton Jantjies.
It’s the kind of uncomplicated scrumhalf play South Africa require after Faf de Klerk’s pyrotechnics fizzled out swiftly in the heat of the international rugby cauldron.
He’s no Aaron Smith or TJ Perenara but to learn how to walk‚ one needs to learn how to crawl first.
That’s what Cronje has done and despite Jantjies not always fitting in well with Coetzee’s game plans‚ the importance of the combination is understood and this could be Coetzee’s saving grace. Courtnall Skosan (Lions) Position: Left wing Because of his relatively small size‚ Skosan has always been looked down upon but what can’t be frowned upon is his tryscoring ability.
However, while the Lions have the perfect game plan for him, international rugby is a different kettle of fish.
France do have some big wingers and fullbacks who will ask questions of Skosan’s defensive commitment but that’s something that can only be tested once Skosan is on the field. His high-ball work has been exceptional despite his lack of height and he also looks for work off the ball.
South Africa may not have the wing monsters New Zealand possess but the country has to make do with what they have. Dillyn Leyds (Stormers) Position: wing/flyhalf/fullback Leyds’s selection was a proper bolt out of the blue but has also signalled a shift in South Africa’s rugby thinking.
Small‚ electric and unpredictable players have not always featured highly among South African coaches but Leyds has come on in leaps and bounds.
While he’s been caught short defensively on more than one occasion‚ the attacking element Leyds bring far outweighs his defensive shortcomings.
However‚ these are things that are often exposed at Test level but as in Skosan’s case‚ it’s a case of waiting and seeing. Lukhanyo Am (Sharks) Position: Centre The jury is still out on Am’s best midfield position but what can’t be denied is that he deserves to be in the Bok reckoning.
Am has sparkled for the Sharks at outside centre and even though there was a worry he could fizzle out after his match-winning try against the Brumbies‚ he’s gained momentum with each outing.
His distribution and defensive abilities do not make him the quintessential South African centre‚ especially with South African centres known for straightening the line more than anything else.
Am’s selection could be seen as a raw deal for Lionel Mapoe but should the Frans Steyn/Jan Serfontein/Damian de Allende experiments fail at inside centre‚ there lies a chance for them to stake a serious claim as the first choice midfield pairing. Lizo Gqoboka (Bulls) Position: Loosehead prop The fact the Bulls only have three tight forwards in the 31-man Bok squad speaks volumes about their fall from grace.
Their scrum has been pushed into the construction site on the west side of Loftus and if it wasn’t for the interventions of Gqoboka and Trevor Nyakane‚ things could have been worse.
Gqoboka has been a functional point in a sea of dysfunctionality at Sunnyside and he’s a deserved squad member.
Whether he starts ahead of Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira is another story but he’s done the hard yards‚ especially in the face of the brutal Lions’ scrummagers. Andries Coetzee (Lions) Position: Fullback A serious knee injury robbed Coetzee of some of his pace‚ but not his tactical kicking ability and tactical acumen.
Fullback has been a particularly difficult position for Coetzee to fill and Ruan Combrick’s comeback from injury means he has to start with the South Africa A side before he can move back to the Boks.
Unspectacular but solid and that’s how Coetzee likes his players to be. Raymond Rhule (Cheetahs) Position: Left wing There have been question marks regarding Rhule’s defence but there’s no denying the fact he’s an explosive player.
Bryan Habana’s longevity and Lwazi Mvovo’s adaptability closed the door on him previously but with those players on the wrong side of 30‚ his time has come.
He’s one of the more experienced uncapped players but his defence will need sharpening up. — TMG