Time for a fresh start

This year has turned into for the Boks and Coetzee

IN AN ideal world we could tear up the script for the Springboks’ 2016 season and push the restart button, with a host of new protagonists on centre stage.

But it is not going to happen and Allister Coetzee and his inexperienced support staff will beat on against the tide, labouring ever more into the eye of the storm.

The question is this: What can the South African Rugby Union do to at least make the passage to the next World Cup steadier, and what can Coetzee himself do, selection-wise, to right the listing ship?

Coetzee said after the weekend’s catastrophe in Christchurch that certain players had not risen to the occasion after a series of opportunities, against Ireland, Argentina, Australia and now New Zealand.

That is surely the death knell for Elton Jantjies and while Morné Steyn is next in line at flyhalf for the Loftus Versfeld Test against Australia, Coetzee will be tempted to fast-track Patrick Lambie into the squad, at least for a bench spot.

It is just a pity that the Sharks have a bye this weekend, preventing Lambie from building on his comeback against Eastern Province at the weekend after three months of concussion.

Coetzee is faced with a number of selection conundrums as the pressure cooker starts to whistle a haunting tune.

Three wins and four losses from seven Tests is a living nightmare for a Springbok coach in the first year of the job.

Considering that he is now picking overseas players with impunity – the call-up of veteran Willem Alberts from France remains a mystery given that South Africa is never short of loose forwards – why not now go the whole hog and reconsider Montpellier stars Frans Steyn and Bismarck du Plessis?

The Battleship Bismarck is currently in the dry docks because of a pectoral injury and not available for the remaining Rugby Championship matches against Australia and New Zealand but South Africa’s most combative forward has been setting French rugby on fire at Montpellier and could be the way forward.

But Steyn is fighting fit and the former Sharks centre (and the youngest ever winner of a World Cup gold medal, at 19, in 2007), is in blistering form and kicking penalties and drop goals from No Man’s Land, and heavens knows that the No 12 position is proving troublesome for Coetzee.

Damian de Allande and latterly Juan de Jongh have both struggled in the vital, play-making position, although to be fair to them, their causes have not been helped by Jantjies being sadly out of form.

When Steyn was the 12 in 2009, when the Boks beat the Lions and New Zealand on three consecutive occasions, the New Zealanders named him the “rocket blaster.”

In short, if Coetzee is going to select overseas-based players, then go the whole hog and select the best possible team to beat the Wallabies and the All Blacks in the remaining Rugby Championship games.

The can of worms is already open; no good shutting the gate now, the Brumbies have already bolted ...

At the moment, Coetzee’s selection policy is neither here nor there, pretty much reflecting the Boks’ game plan.

But that is a story for another day.

Personally, this writer agrees with what Jake White first said when overseas-based players were first picked by Heynecke Meyer some years ago: “South African rugby is making a rod for its own back by going this route,” White said. “The Currie Cup and Super Rugby teams will weaken as a result and thus also the base from which the Springbok coach must pick (the majority) of his players.”

Bismarck is world class and would give the Bok pack a physical edge going forward and when he is over injury. JOHAN GOOSEN 3.5/10: He didn’t only produce a horror show in Christchurch early on, he was a horror show. He dropped balls, gave nowhere passes and his kicking was a mess. Too many defensive errors. BRYAN HABANA 5/10: Ran a nice line to score that first try. Looked to get involved, but his defence wasn’t great. Maybe he should mark his man next time instead of flocking onto a player who is already covered? It will save him the effort of having to race out wide to attempt to make a cover tackle on the (unmarked) outside man as he cruises over for the try. JESSE KRIEL 4.5/10: So I’m going to start with his defence, yet again. There were some atrocious tackles by him, if you can even call what he did tackling. I think the one where he practically made way for Ben Smith to go over for the try was my favourite. Surprisingly there was also a good tackle on Ardie Savea, but that was one of the very few positives. Didn’t really make an impact, even when he was moved to fullback. JUAN DE JONGH 5.5/10: He did a decent job leading the defensive line, but he didn’t create anything on attack. Fumbled the ball after receiving a pass from Faf de Klerk behind a ruck in the first 10 minutes. FRANCOIS HOUGAARD 6/10: Beautifully gathered two high balls under great pressure. Went out of his channel before the Kiwis scored their second try. ELTON JANTJIES 3.5/10: That second half kick-off blunder was bad. Really bad. And as if that wasn’t enough, he also lost the ball after fielding a kick-off (and it led to a try for the All Blacks). At least he showed an improved defensive effort, although he was a bit over eager at times and conceded a penalty or two. Lovely, clever inside pass that set Habana up for a good run in the second quarter. The struggle to produce a good game in a Springbok jersey continues. FAF DE KLERK 5/10: He was very busy, but not very dangerous. Knocked the ball on at a ruck early on. Solid line kick early in the second half. Also kicked the ball out on the full. And what was up with the TJ Perenara try? WARREN WHITELEY 8/10: He produced the kind of performance that we’ve been dying to see. He carried well, made his tackles and gave a top pass to Habana for the try. OUPA MOHOJE 3/10: It’s tough rating someone who was anonymous. FRANCOIS LOUW 5.5/10: Was good at some breakdowns, but conceded a ruck penalty in the first quarter and then he nicely made up for that mistake by winning a turnover a few minutes later. A bad tackle mis-read that let Jerome Kaino run free. PIETER-STEPH DU TOIT 7/10: He carried well, made some big runs and solid tackles. Also delivered a good run before the first try. Won a turnover close to half-time. His work off the ball was also huge. One odd line-out wobble. EBEN ETZEBETH 5/10: Didn’t make that physical impact that we’re used to and was rather quiet. But he made a few strong runs. VINCENT KOCH 6/10: Had a great game in the first half and finely managed to pull off two pick and go’s. Gained good metres and his work rate was huge. Collected a loose ball and gained a metre or two early on and topped it off with a nice offload. His scrummaging was far off his best. ADRIAAN STRAUSS 4/10: He was nowhere in open play, but his performance at the lineouts was good. TENDAI MTAWARIRA 4/10: His scrummaging was decent, but he didn’t make much of an impact in open play. MALCOLM MARX 4.5/10: He looked good with ball in hand, but his execution at the line-outs left much to be desired. Made a beautiful break and offload to Koch. Knocked the ball on shortly afterwards. STEVEN KITSHOFF 3:10: No real impact. FRANCO MOSTERT 5.5/10: Was solid on defence, but didn’t really do anything else. WILLEM ALBERTS 3/10: He slipped a few tackles and couldn’t deliver on the one thing he was expected to bring (physicality). JACO KRIEL 4/10: Disappointing outing for him as he didn’t make an impact off the bench like he usually does. MORNÉ STEYN 5/10: His kicks found touch, but again, sparks didn’t fly when he stepped onto the field. DAMIAN DE ALLENDE 4/10: He passed the ball a bit more, but his decision-making wasn’t great and he received too many balls while in a static position. –