The Jean decision: WP coach would not want to be Heyneke
JEAN DE VILLIERS or no Jean de Villiers?
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer certainly has an interesting selection dilemma at centre going into the Rugby Championship Test against Argentina in Durban in two weeks’ time.
The partnership of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel has been one of the positives for the Boks during their successive defeats against Australia and New Zealand. Both youngsters have looked really comfortable at Test level, and both have put up their hands for a spot in the Boks’ 31-man World Cup squad, which will be announced on August 28.
Kriel, in particular, has vindicated Meyer’s decision to play him at outside centre, a position where Meyer may have earmarked De Villiers for given De Allende’s great form this year.
Next week the captain De Villiers will join the Boks following an unbelievable fight back from a dislocated knee he suffered against Wales last November.
Lesser mortals would probably have been forced to retire if they had suffered that sort of injury, but De Villiers has given himself a chance of fulfilling his World Cup dream after injury ruled him out of full participation in the last three events.
But does De Villiers’s really warrant a place in the Bok team on current form?
While the Springboks and the All Blacks produced another classic at Ellis Park, De Villiers ran out for Western Province against the EP Kings in Port Elizabeth.
It was his first full 80 minutes of rugby following 20 minutes for the Boks against the World XV and 60 minutes for WP against the Pumas.
WP coach John Dobson certainly thinks De Villiers is quickly getting back to his best, after the veteran centre came through their last two friendlies unscathed.
“To be brutally honest, if you watched the game (against EP) you wouldn’t ‘think this is a world-leading centre’,” Dobson said yesterday.
“But every week his improvement has been stratospheric. If he keeps improving at this rate, he can play international rugby. And that makes him a possible contender for the World Cup squad.”
Dobson says while De Villiers might not have the zip and the step of old at the moment, he brings a lot of other attributes to the table, which would make him a valuable asset for the Boks.
De Villiers, of course, has a great rugby brain, and the Boks maybe missed his calm demeanour in the last quarter of their defeats against the Wallabies and the All Blacks. His defence and his anticipation are also key elements the Boks may need at the World Cup.
But the WP coach is glad that he is not in Meyer’s shoes when it comes to selecting his centres for the rugby’s global showpiece.
“I think he will bring a lot of things to the table that those youngsters haven’t got yet,” Dobson said.
“People are bemoaning the lack of experience over the last couple of weeks ... and to tell you the truth, I wouldn’t want to be Heyneke Meyer. Jean is a fantastic leader, and defensively he is superb. It’s a very tricky one.”