Springboks will scent blood if Isiekwe shows any sign of weakness
South Africa will target the young lock unless he gives the impression of belonging on a big stage
When Nick Isiekwe steps out at Ellis Park tomorrow, he cannot show a trace of nerves or fear. I have every confidence this will be the first of many Test starts for the Saracen but this will be the most difficult game he ever plays.
South African teams are perhaps the best in the world at finding the weak link in a forward pack and ruthlessly exploiting it. They will look at a 20-year-old lock with just two caps as a replacement to his name as a tasty morsel of easy meat.
They will target him and they will hunt him down. The first quarter will be the most ferocious he has ever encountered. How you hold yourself and how you come across in those early stages is far more important than you might think. First impressions count.
If Isiekwe walks on that field with a touch of arrogance and his shoulders thrust back it will make a huge difference in how he is perceived and what the South Africans try to do to him. Whenever I speak to young players who are about to make their Test debut, I always tell them the same thing: “Fake it until you make it.”
The truth is that no one knows if you are good enough until you are thrust into that environment, but you have to make people think you are. Being humble works for some; having a touch of arrogance works better.
Maro Itoje, the man lining up next to Isiekwe at Ellis Park, always gave off that impression and I believe it helped him acclimatise to Test rugby. It is far easier said than done, of course. It took me a good 15-20 matches before I felt I truly belonged in an England shirt, but I would like to believe those I played against felt it came instantly. The good news for Isiekwe is that he is certainly good enough to make it. I have been very impressed by him, and his experiences at Saracens will stand him in good stead as he has played extremely well in big games. Much of his career has been played alongside Itoje and the comparisons between the two are hard to avoid as they do have very similar styles. Isiekwe is slightly less eye-catching but is perhaps a little more effective in close combat. They share the same ferocious work-rate, and Isiekwe is showing signs he could be an even better line-out operator.
But I do understand the concerns that some have about selecting two second rows as similar as they are.
If they fire then South Africa may not be able to handle two dynamic locks who would be just as comfortable with the No 6 on their backs. If they close them down then England might struggle to get the momentum they would otherwise hope for from Joe Launchbury or George Kruis. Launchbury offers just a little more physicality and Eddie Jones clearly would have played him if fully fit. I think that Isiekwe will be OK, though. He seems to have the right temperament and he does remind me of Itoje at a similar age. I remember getting to know Maro when he was just starting out and he was so level-headed, so switched on. From what I hear, Isiekwe is cut from the same cloth. But he will know South Africa will attempt to rattle him tomorrow.
He will have a target on his chest and should know what is coming. Everything I have seen so far tells me Isiekwe has all the skills to handle it but Ellis Park and a desperate Springbok team can muddle your senses and cloud your vision.
So, Nick, go out there and believe in yourself. And if you do not, fake it. It is the only way.
He has all the skills to handle it but Ellis Park can muddle your senses