Nick Mallett makes a good point, but how about Cheslin Kolbe at flyhalf?
CHESLIN KOLBE at scrumhalf? Is Nick Mallett on to something?
Watching the Stormers against the Sharks on Saturday night, my sports editor Ian Smit asked me “What is wrong with Cheslin?” Even before Frans Steyn clogged the daylights out of him, the fullback didn’t look himself. Every time the Sharks hacked the ball down field, Kolbe decided to kick it back even before scanning the field to maybe have a go.
Was it because he is playing under instructions? Possibly. But why would you curb the natural instincts of a player like Kolbe, who was born to cut defences to shreds? If that is the case, then the Stormers might as well play prop Steven Kitshoff at fullback to catch the ball and punt it back.
But coach Allister Coetzee said yesterday that they have a counter-attacking plan, and Kolbe maybe felt that the counter “wasn’t on because the Sharks didn’t kick badly”.
In the second half, though, we finally saw Kolbe breaking the line. But it wasn’t from his No 15 position, it was around the fringes of the rucks and the mauls.
He beat the “pillars” with some superb stepping, but strangely enough couldn’t get away from the cover defence.
It looked like Kolbe had lost a yard of pace somewhere between the car park and the green grass of Newlands. Or is it the knee injury that has robbed him of a bit of gas? He still has that phenomenal speed off the mark, but seems to be struggling to get through the gears, almost like his clutch is broken.
I thought to myself: Is that not the reason why he is not taking on defenders in open space like we have gotten used to over the last few years. Is he nursing himself back to his confident best?
But Mallett, one of the special rugby brains in the country, saw something when Kolbe broke around the fringes on Saturday night. He had a vision of Kolbe playing for the Springboks in the No 9 jersey at the World Cup in September.
“I keep asking myself, is he being played in the right position? Will he become an international fullback? In the present South African system, they’ll never pick him because he’s too small,” Mallett said on SuperSport on Saturday night.
“He’s the same height and weight as Aaron Smith. Smith is playing for the All Blacks and is one of the best scrumhalves in the world. Kolbe played No 9 at sevens – he’s got brilliant ability around the fringes.
“Forwards are slow, they’re not as agile as backline players, so his ability to step forwards around the fringes is far greater than in the wide open spaces where he’s up against other backline players.
“We’ve given opportunities to Francois Hougaard, Cobus Reinach and Sarel Pretorius, so why not Kolbe? He’s got more pace than any of them, he’s got a devastating boot, he’s very dangerous and he’s got a good pass.”
Those are some great points, and especially because the South African scrumhalf cupboard is bare at the moment.
I would even throw in Kolbe’s wonderful skills at the breakdown into the mix as well. He seldom gets turned over because he has the ability to release the ball and get back onto his feet. That is a skill he mastered on the Sevens circuit.
But what about Kolbe at flyhalf? Yeah, it sounds a bit crazy doesn’t it? But hear me out.
I know that the Currie Cup is not on par with Super Rugby, but last season I saw Kolbe create havoc for Western Province when he came into the line at first receiver.
With opposition defenders five metres behind the feet of their No 8 at scrum time, Kolbe had space to run with the ball in two hands, with decoy runners coming off both his shoulders. Besides, he also played flyhalf at high school.
Of course his size will always be an issue, because big three-quarters will come flying
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