Boks to put faith in Jantjies, says Rassie
With Pollard out injured kicking duties up for grabs in November's Rugby Championship
With ace kicker Handré Pollard sidelined after suffering a horrific knee injury, Elton Jantjies has been earmarked to step into his big boots if the Springboks play in the Rugby Championship during November.
SA’s director Rugby Rassie Erasmus left nobody in any doubt that Jantjies would be the Boks’ first choice to wear the key No 10 jersey if SA eventually get on a plane for Perth.
Pollard had to leave the field on a stretcher during the second half of Montpellier’s 41-17 Top 14 defeat to Racing 92 earlier in September.
Montpellier said Pollard suffered an anterior cruciate knee ligament tear (ACL) and is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Though Pollard’s injury is a blow, Erasmus made it clear in a virtual meeting that he had plenty of firepower in reserve in Jantjies, Curwin Bosch and Damian Willemse.
“I can’t think of a better team man than Elton Jantjies to come in and he stood out at the Rugby World Cup,” Erasmus said.
“The way he helped us to win the Rugby World Cup despite playing in only three games with the six/two split was immense.
“I have lots of faith in Elton, and when he played with structure and with a good pack of forwards‚ he’s unbelievable.
“In my opinion‚ Elton would be the immediate first choice‚ just on his potential and proven performance.
“There were times before the World Cup were Elton was pushing really hard for Pollard’s spot‚ but Pollard ended up being the number one and did well.
“There’s also Damian Willemse; he’s been to the World Cup and can do the job at 10 and 15.
“There’s also Curwin Bosch‚ which is why I’m so excited for the rugby to be played‚ especially with the long tournaments where coaches and players will be tested,” Erasmus said
He said SuperFan Saturday at Loftus Versfeld had been an excellent outing for the four Super Rugby franchises.
However‚ there were a few injuries that will affect Saturday’s Springbok Showdown at Newlands.
Springbok wing Courtnall Skosan, and former Junior Springboks Carlu Sadie and Mnombo Zwelendaba, were named as injury replacements for the Springbok Gold and Green squads for Newlands.
Skosan, who earned the last of his 12 Test caps against Italy in 2017, and Sadie (prop), who represented the Junior Springboks in the 2016 World Rugby under-20 Championship, were called up to the Springbok Gold squad on Monday following the withdrawal of Sergeal Petersen (foot) and prop Frans Malherbe (toe) due to injury.
Zwelendaba (utility back), one of the eight Young Guns in the Springbok Green Team, was a member of the Junior Springbok squad that won the bronze medal at the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina. He was drafted into the main squad after Seabelo Senatla was forced to withdraw due to a hamstring injury.
Blitzboks and Vodacom Bulls speedster Kurt-Lee Arendse was initially called up as a replacement for Senatla, but a decision was made to draft in Zwelendaba after he was unable to make his flight from Gauteng to Cape Town on Monday.
The Springbok Gold and Green coaches, Deon Davids and Mzwandile Stick, will announce their match-day squads on Wednesday.