BOKS FACE IRISH PASSION
Tactical kicking key, so pivot Pollard’s under the microscope against playmaker Sexton
TONIGHT when the Springboks run out on to the pitch at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, they’re sure to be greeted by a raucous home crowd who will create an intimidating coliseum for the Irish side.
And, while only light rain in the morning has been predicted in the Irish capital, it will be freezing and the grass will be slippery.
The Irish camp have been quick to grab the underdog tag due to a long injury list and the retirement of iconic captain Brian O’Driscoll earlier this year.
But Springbok skipper Jean de Villiers is not falling for that trick.
He knows just how tough and passionate the Irish are, having spent a season with top European club Munster. The home side are a more streetwise outfit nowadays under coach Joe Schmidt, who is a New Zealander.
De Villiers remarked yesterday that Ireland are a “much better team now” under Schmidt, who, he says, has brought extra attention to the home team. They are not Six Nations champions for nothing either.
But the Springboks have had some significant growth spurts in the last two seasons under De Villiers and coach Heyneke Meyer, and they would want to prove the win over New Zealand wasn’t just a fluke.
De Villiers and centre partner Jan Serfontein will go up against an unfamiliar Irish midfield in debutant Jared Payne and the 21-year-old Robbie Henshaw instead of the old firm of Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll today, and, while one would expect the South Africans to try to exploit such a situation, the captain believes it won’t be that easy.
“It’s sort of the unknown, in a way, because I’ve played against the other two so many times before,” De Villiers said yesterday.
“Now it’s (new) guys and we haven’t seen much of them, but it’s about executing our plays and making sure we are on top of our game, and hopefully make it as difficult as possible for them.
“(With the Bok centres) I think it has been going well. We are interlinking a bit and changing around during the game, playing to our strengths, and it’s been good. The work that Jan goes through in a game is unbelievable – defensively, he is really solid and he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes during a game, and that’s key to Test-match rugby.
“He has matured a lot this year, and playing some great rugby.”
Another youngster who has caught the eye has been flyhalf Handré Pollard, who showed against the All Blacks that he can take charge of a game by scoring two tries and bringing direction to the backline.
But he will face probably the biggest test of his career when he comes up against Irish flyhalf Johnny Sexton tonight.
Sexton is a complete playmaker who can vary his game well, and that is something Meyer wants to see from Pollard too, especially with regard to his tactical kicking. De Villiers wants the 20-year-old to continue in the same vein as he did at Ellis Park.
“We’ve played in these conditions this year, so that makes it easier. It’s about ‘What have you done that’s worked for you?’ And let’s stick to that. ‘Play your natural game and make sure each guy in the team does the same’.
“Pollard’s a very mature guy, and he showed he can make the big plays in the big situations.
“He’ll make mistakes in the future, and he might make some mistakes (today). But it’s about learning.
”It’s two-folded – it’s about the conditions we face on the day, and the team you are facing.
“It’s also about where and when they give us opportunities to attack, and attacking from firstphase.
“It’s (about) identifying the space and getting the ball into that space – out wide, kicking behind them or keeping it in hand.”
One aspect that could be out of the Boks’ hands, though, is how the referee views the game. And it’s their old French “friend” Romain Poite who will blow the whistle again.
De Villiers played a big role in the Boks’ All Blacks victory by asking referee Wayne Barnes to have another look at a late tackle incident, and Barnes awarded the penalty after consulting the TMO for Pat Lambie to kick the winning three-pointer.
So, he will look to chat with the referee again.