Waiting in the wings for the Boks
Curwin Bosch and Damian Willemse vying to deputise for Elton
● With Handre Pollard sidelined by injury, Elton Jantjies’ experience should help earn him the nod as general in the Springbok team.
Jantjies, who has been the back-up flyhalf for some time, should be given an extended run, says his former coach at the Lions, Swys de Bruin, as well as former Cheetahs and Zimbabwe pivot Kennedy Tsimba.
“Elton has been in the system for a long time. I will always punt Elton because I’ve won far more matches as a coach with him than I’ve lost,” De Bruin stressed.
Tsimba believes, apart from Jantjies’ skills and experience, the player’s loyalty should be rewarded.
“Elton needs to be given a run. Obviously he has the experience and I don’t think he has been given a fair crack in that position,” said Tsimba.
“Also, he committed to staying in SA and that should be rewarded. Because of all the uncertainty you are going to need players with experience. That is very important,” said Tsimba.
Curwin Bosch and Damian Willemse
One can argue that the Springbok brains trust should invest more heavily in the future by giving the younger Curwin Bosch (23) and Damian Willemse (22) more playing opportunities ahead of Jantjies, who has turned 30.
“We worked with Damian, but Elton was always the understudy to Pollard,” said De Bruin of his time as the Springbok attack coach.
He concedes, however, the suspended Super Rugby competition may have shifted opinion. “If you had to pick on form then you’d have to go with Curwin. If you went with experience and reputation then Elton’s the man.
“Curwin has been in the shadows for so long. I believe if you bring him in as Elton’s understudy he will grow further. He is a very laid back, gentle-natured soul. He is like a golfer who feeds off confidence.
“You can see it with his body language on the field. He is quite an athlete. He is quick, he’s lean, I like him a lot,” said De Bruin about Bosch, who has made just two appearances for the Boks.
Bosch in fact debuted at fullback in then
Curwin has been in the shadows for so long. He will grow Swys de Bruin
Former Lions coach
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus’s first match in charge against Wales in Washington in 2018. Jantjies was at flyhalf but Robert du Preez replaced him off the bench. “That was the game in which Du Preez took three steps before kicking into a bloke and we lost the game. Rassie was the moer in,” De Bruin recalled.
Both De Bruin and Tsimba would like to see Bosch as Jantjies’ understudy. Part of their reasoning is shaped by Willemse’s failure to take command in that position.
“I believe Damian is a 15 or a 12. Don’t get me wrong. I rate him very highly. I like him more as a 15 or a 12 though. He is a good defender at 12. He’s such a team man,” said De Bruin.
The men concur that Willemse’s perhaps overzealous pursuit of conjuring magic as first receiver has proved counterproductive. “He doesn’t have to try and do everything before he decides to offload. Sometimes it is good to pass and then support. He’s got quick hands but he always looks to create something himself. He has to understand that he doesn’t have to be the playmaker all the time. It can be 12 or even 9,” explained De Bruin.
“His percentage as a goal kicker isn’t as high as it should be. It needs to be more than 80%. His tactical kicking is not at the level of the other two.” Tsimba is yet to be convinced flyhalf is Willemse’s best position. “At 10 he’s got some skills, but other skills like game control are still lacking. There is a lot of haphazardness about his game.”
Jantjies, Bosch and Willemse can stake fresh claims when the season resumes on September 26.