Boks look ahead to Argentina Tests in Bay
Morne Steyn picked as replacement for tomorrow’s decider against visiting Lions
Though he has unfinished business with the British and Irish Lions, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has started weighing up his options for the looming Tests against Argentina.
After tomorrow’s third Test against the Lions in Cape Town, the Boks will move to Gqeberha for their opening two Tests in the Rugby Championship against Argentina.
Nienaber gave an insight into the Boks’ selection plans, when he announced his team for the deciding Test against the Lions tomorrow.
Nienaber has explained why the Boks decided to name Morne Steyn as the replacement flyhalf for tomorrow.
He said it had been a tough decision between Steyn and Elton Jantjies as the backup flyhalf.
“It’s was a toss-up between Morne and Elton,” Nienaber said.
“Morne played for us in the SA A game and I thought he controlled the game quite well in that game against the Lions.
“Elton was excellent for us in the first Test match, when he came on for Handré [Pollard], when Handré started cramping at the back end of that Test match.
“In our discussion, when we went through our selection process, it’s a long season.
“We are going straight into the Rugby Championship against Argentina next week.
“Then it’s the Rugby Championship in Australasia and then the end-of-year tour.
“So it’s also about keeping everybody up to date, giving them game time and trying to spread the load.
“Like I said, we could’ve put Elton in there.
“It’s like for like; both of them were excellent in the outings they had against the Lions.
An ice-cool Steyn kicked the winning penalty in the second Test of the 2009 series, when the Lions last toured SA.
“Hopefully it doesn’t come down to that again,” Nienaber said.
“The fact that he has been there, he has experienced big games like this.
“He understands the pressure that will be there.
“If you look at the World Cup final, I think the pressure in this game is going to be similar to that.
“It’s do or die. Between the World Cup final and the Lions series, it’s as big as it can get.
“Morne has been there and done it before, in the big game in 2009.
“I am not saying that Elton wouldn’t have the big-match temperament I have seen him do it for us before in big games as well.
“In 2018 in New Zealand, when we had our first victory there, he came on in the last 20 or 30 minutes, and between him and Handré at 10 and 12, they had an unbelievable partnership.
“It’s a long season and we have to make sure that everybody stays sharp and match fit,” he reiterated.
“Elton has done nothing wrong.
“If you look at his actions in the first Test, you can go through every single action and he was phenomenal.
“It was just the decision that we made and we feel is the best way to go for in this Test match.”
On Wednesday, Nienaber said Rosko Specman, Dan du Preez and Johan Grobbelaar had been called up to join the Boks in Cape Town.