Spotlight falls on Bok quintet

The Springboks are set to open their international season when they take on Wales today and a number of players will be in the spotlight and will need to put in a strong performance to try and secure their place in the starting line-up going forward. Ross Roche looks at five players in the spotlight. Elton Jantjies

Bok coach Jacques Nienaber sprung an early surprise this week when he named Jantjies as the starting flyhalf, while regular starter Handre Pollard didn’t even make the bench. Jantjies has been in the media for all the wrong reasons recently after a disturbance on a flight landed him in hot water. But after the criminal case opened against him was provisionally withdrawn earlier this month, he was able to put that behind him and can now start to do his talking on the field. With Pollard waiting in the wings, Jantjies will need to put in a big performance to try and hold onto his spot.

Jasper Wiese

It was expected that Wiese would be handed the No 8 jersey for the first Test in the absence of Duane Vermeulen, after his brilliant end to the English Premiership season. But with a massively stacked department featuring exciting up and comers Evan Roos and Elrigh Louw, along with the experienced Marcell Coetzee and Kwagga Smith, one wrong step could see the jersey swiftly change hands due to there being plenty of competition for it. Wiese will thus want to lay down a marker in the first Test today.

Damian Willemse

Willemse enjoyed a fantastic season with the Stormers, helping them pick up a maiden United Rugby Championship title and is a deserved starter for the first

Test. But he has played most of his recent rugby at inside centre and finds himself at fullback against Wales. It is a rare start in a Bok jersey for Willemse, who has played most of his 12 Tests off the bench, and he will be eager to impress and try and solidify a spot in a packed department. Regular starter Willie le Roux is playing in Willemse’s usual role as utility back off the bench, while Warrick Gelant and Aphelele Fassi are waiting in the wings.

Kwagga Smith

Smith will be eager to make his presence told off the bench today and will be gunning for an explosive showing against the Welsh. The loose forward department is by far the most hotly contested in the Bok set-up and with Pieter-Steph du Toit set to return to the fold for the second Test, someone from this week’s run-on side will probably miss out next week. Smith will thus be keen to prove his worth and secure his place in the match-23 going forward, or could find himself swiftly replaced if he doesn’t play to his potential.

Salmaan Moerat

Moerat is set to make his Bok debut off the bench today and will be hoping to put in a big showing first time out. With stars Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager starting ahead of him, Moerat will have some big shoes to fill when he comes on the field. Lock is another position that the Boks are not lacking in, with Franco Mostert playing on the flank for the opening game, while Marvin Orie and Ruan Nortje wait in the wings. Nortje will be champing at the bit to make his own debut after a brilliant season for the Bulls, while Orie has been used on and off over the past couple of seasons, so Moerat will have to stay on his toes.