Boks must replace top performers
Pool of players down to a trickle
HE lure of northern hemisphere currencies and the perennial spectre of injury and lost form will force the Springboks into some significant personnel changes later this season.
At the end of the Super Rugby season, locks Juandre Kruger and Andries Bekker will move to Racing Metro and Kobelco Steelers respectively, while points ace Morne Steyn will have to learn to love the garish pink of Stade Francais.
In addition, Johan Goosen is earmarked for another extended period of convalescence.
However, Kruger, Bekker and Steyn should still be available for the Four Nations tournament against Italy, Scotland and Samoa that kicks off in June.
But the Springbok selectors will have to choose from a smaller pool for the Rugby Championships against New Zealand, Australia and Argentina that starts in mid-August.
Kruger and Bekker ’ s departure will be keenly felt. The paucity of topquality jumpers in the middle of the lineout is a result, in part, of Victor Matfield’s 110test occupancy of that particular position.
Bekker, now with 29 tests, was long regarded as Matfield’s heir apparent, while Kruger — with eight caps — has emerged as the player most likely to mirror Matfield stylistically.
The lock stocks are slightly better developed at the front of the line-out, with Flip van der Merwe and Eben Etzebeth the front-runners.
Etzebeth played in 11 of the Boks’ 12 tests last year and didn’t give any indication he was about to relinquish his position.
Although Etzebeth possesses the physical attributes to be a formidable middle-of-the-lineout operator, former All Blacks and Lions coach John Mitchell cautioned against moving him from the area where he can inflict the most carnage.
“It is not impossible to make that conversion, ” said Mitchell, about moving Etzebeth from two to four in the lineout.
“My only worry is that Eben is so good at the front of the lineout and he’s an aggressive tackler.
“Heyneke [Meyer, the Bok coach] will have to develop a jumper for the middle of the lineout.”
The much-decorated Matfield is perhaps the embodiment of how specialised the middle jumper has become.
“A guy like Victor was good at the lineout,” observed Mitchell. “He was
Tadequate in the tackle and the carry and efficient at cleaning out.”
Mitchell lamented the fact that Bekker will depart, having reached a crucial stage of his career.
“Bekker has clearly established himself, but some developing is still required in his game. It is time to see his leadership qualities come through and for him to take charge the way Victor did.”
The lineout’s subtleties and nuances should not escape the man with No 5 on his back, contends Mitchell.
“Having worked with Nathan Sharpe I can tell you that you have to be careful not to premeditate your lineout calls. “Sometimes the opposition closes up space that you want to attack and the bloke calling the lineout has to be able to adjust and have a bail-out call.
“He has to identify other space to attack, and players only develop that over time.
“Nathan developed it and it is something Franco still needs to develop. ”
The Franco Mitchell referred to is the erstwhile captain he coached at the Lions — but who now plays for the Sharks — and who goes by the surname of Van der Merwe.
“We ’ ve seen Franco’s physical growth and development. He started the season very well but had a poor one against the Brumbies.
“The other middle jumpers are in their development phase.
“The Cheetahs’ lineout seems to have settled, while the Kings don’t have a huge presence.
“Grant Hattingh has developed as a good jumper and ball-carrier,” Mitchell said, of another player he used to coach but who now mostly warms the bench at the Bulls.
Despite his age, another player who may make an impact in the Bok second row is the front-jumping Pieter-Steph du Toit, a member of last year ’ s victorious under-21 squad in the world junior championships.
He was also invited to the Springbok planning camp last year.
Players seeking greener pastures — and injuries — are beyond coach Meyer ’ s control. All he can hope for is that he doesn’t inherit the hitherto underwhelming form with which Elton Jantjies, Frans Steyn, Jacques Potgieter and Francois Hougaard — among some others — have started this season.