Bok coach wants to see what Kriel can do in ‘difficult conditions’
BRISBANE: By his own regular admission, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer believes that “experience wins World Cups” but he is also pragmatic enough to know that he can’t arrive in England in September rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic because half of his first-choice players are crocked.
And that is why Saturday’s match against the Wallabies is so important to him.
A host of veterans pulled out of comfy semi-retirement around the world by Meyer are injured, and the coach is in a scramble to get the next tier of players blooded should the likes of Jaque Fourie, Fourie du Preez, Victor Matfield and Jean de Villiers not make the World Cup.
Bulls youngster, Jesse Kriel, is one such player that Meyer is banking on coming through as a viable starter in England at outside centre, and at yesterday’s team announcement, the coach said that Kriel could “make the position his own.”
“We are thin at outside centre. Jaque is battling to get back to full fitness,” Meyer said. “So I am hoping that Jessie can prove himself against the best, and Australia indeed boast one of the best backlines in world rugby, especially if they get quick ball. So his defence will be tested along with Damian (de Allende) in the midfield.
“Jesse has a major opportunity to stake a claim for the position and make it his own,” Meyer said. “It is up to him. I know he has not been playing at centre for the Bulls, but he is a quality player. We are running out of time to get things in place so that we have options in England.
“Outside centre is a specific position and one of the most difficult to defend,” the coach continued. “Potentially Jesse can make it there and that is why I want to put him in this tough Test match away from home, with the World Cup also being away from home, so I can see what he can do in difficult conditions.”
Meyer admitted that he is desperate to get some form of continuity going in the 10, 12, 13 axis given that De Villiers’s reconstructed knee could well break down between now and the World Cup, and Fourie, who has been based in Japan for the last four years, not only has to get fully over injury, but still prove he is the same player he used to be.
If De Allende and Kriel combine well against the Aussies, it would be a massive relief for Meyer. And the continuation of Handré Pollard at flyhalf could suggest that his rival from the Sharks, Patrick Lambie, could be destined for a bench role at the World Cup.
Meyer said: “The problem is that I need to get some combinations settled. Handré had not played with Damian or Jessie (before last week’s World XV match), and I want to keep that axis intact for now.
The selection of Schalk Burger at No 8 for only the second time in his career also sug- gests that Meyer is looking at his options should Duane Vermeulen not make the World Cup, or injury-prone Willem Alberts breaks down.
An important selection on the bench is that of Cheetahs lock Lood de Jager, a pretender to Victor Matfield’s throne.
“We are really vulnerable at No 5 lock and Lood’s return is timeous indeed,” Meyer said. “Last year he had a brilliant season. Unfortunately he got injured early in Super Rugby and needs game time. But he is in superb condition.”
Meyer likewise is giving opportunities off the bench to in-form Stormers prop Frans Malherbe and to Heinke van der Merwe, who has been one of the stand-out props in European rugby.