Maybe Reinach’s Bok inclusion is no joke

HE had wondered earlier this week whether Cobus Reinach’s inclusion in the Springbok training group was a joke, but now Werner Swanepoel believes the matter had perhaps been given due consideration.

Reinach’s selection has been widely branded nonsensical as he will be available only for the three-test series against France in June before he joins Northampton Saints.

SA Rugby recently introduced eligibility criteria for overseas-based players which requires them to have played 30 tests before they will be considered for Springbok selection.

The ruling kicks in on July 1 and Reinach, with just 10 caps, falls well short of the threshold.

“Maybe in his contract [with Northampton Saints] there is an opt-out clause should he be selected for the Springboks,” Swanepoel, a former Bok scrumhalf, said.

“If that isn’t the case I can’t see any reason for selecting him in the Springbok training group.”

Reinach, who was sidelined with injury last year, is one of the most instinctively gifted scrumhalves in the country.

His coach at the Sharks, Robert du Preez, this week went as far as to say he is the best No 9 in South Africa.

Either way, the Bok plan with Reinach isn’t transparent just yet. It also means the role of the other contenders in Springbok coach Allister Coetzee’s potential squad for the June tests is opaque.

Faf de Klerk started in South Africa’s last test, a defeat to Wales in Cardiff, having been in the run-on line-up on eight previous occasions last year. He was left out of Coetzee’s training group that assembled in Stellenbosch today, fuelling speculation he has fallen out of favour.

“Scrumhalf is a very technical position,” Swanepoel, who played in 20 tests, reminded. “I think he has a few shortcomings at international level.

“Of course the pressure is greater and you have less time. Whether that is enough to keep him out of the team, I don’t think so.

“But you also have to consider a guy like Shaun Venter who made his name at the Kings, then he took a while to settle at the Cheetahs. Now he is playing with a lot of confidence.

“He is almost like a Ross Cronje who doesn’t readily give you a bad game. They are consistent.”

A Springbok insider who wished to remain anonymous said it would be premature to call time on De Klerk’s test career.

The source said the coach is just “looking at different options” and that De Klerk has “not been completely discarded”.

If not against France, the source said, he would expect De Klerk to be back in the squad for the Rugby Championship.

He said that while De Klerk was an exciting player, he had made a lot of mistakes last year when the Springboks won just four of their 12 tests. De Klerk started in nine tests last year. The source added that the Springboks need experience and that a player like Francois Hougaard should not be ruled out. Hougaard, however, would hardly endear himself to his club Worcester Warriors should he report for Bok duty.

Last year, he picked up a shoulder injury while with the Boks but it went undiagnosed until he returned to his club.