Don’t panic! Boks just need tweaks

DEAR SIR — World rugby has made huge progress, and we were sadly on the receiving side, but one narrow defeat, even against Japan, is no reason to panic.

Japan, host of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, have been preparing intensively for four years and coach Eddie Jones (pictured) has intimate knowledge of South African rugby.

There are positives flowing from this defeat: the Springboks will be more motivated than ever before; Fourie Du Preez and Handré Pollard have proved that they are a must for selection; stars such as Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Francois Louw are back with a bang; and Duane Vermeulen and Willem Alberts will also be back. Further, we received two bonus points from the match and gained much-needed match sharpness after two months without playing.

A few moves including in the captaincy could make a huge difference. Appoint a respected player and leader who is a sure choice for the starting line-up and is suited to play for 80 minutes. The choice is obvious: Francois Louw is a respected player and leader with a good track record as captain throughout his rugby career. He did wonders for the English club Bath, which he captains and where he plays with other international stars. He did captain the Boks before and did a great job.

The other options of Bismarck du Plessis, Victor Matfield and Schalk Burger are no longer sure choices for the starting line-up, and surely not for 80 minutes.

This will be a logical decision and not drastic at all, but will provide clarity on the captaincy for the rest of the campaign. The other options will in any case play only for a maximum of 60 minutes, or from the bench, and could play a supporting role to the captain when on the field.

Only a few additional moves are necessary, such as bringing in Damian de Allende and choosing Du Preez and Pollard for the starting line-up, with Rudy Paige and Pat Lambie on the bench. The Boks can still bring the trophy home!

Dawie Jacobs Sterrewag