Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
The old, new, borrowed and blue in Bok squad
AS THE old saying goes, there is “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” in the Springbok squad for the end-of-year tour and the blue is that of the Stormers in the form of the uncapped flyhalf duo of Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
The wily Rassie Erasmus has kept the core of his Rugby Championship squad together but brought in some new blood to grow depth ahead of the World Cup; he has rested a warhorse in Duane Vermeulen and has released a few players to the SA A squad to get game time, and here it is rusty Johan Goosen that comes to mind.
Erasmus has picked up on the form of overseas players by recalling the Leinster lock Jason Jenkins, who has been lighting up the United Rugby Championship, and he has also rewarded the form of local players in the URC, the likes of the Stormers fly-halves and Marco van Staden, who has had a new lease of life since rejoining the Bulls after a lacklustre stint overseas at Leicester.
Van Staden played off the bench for the Boks in last year’s Rugby Championship but hasn’t played this year.
Coach Jacques Nienaber said good enough is old enough, with regard to Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who is just 20.
“He is brilliant on attack and from a defensive viewpoint, he has really impressed me for his age. He certainly doesn’t look afraid – he has stood his ground when he has played in the tough No 12 channel.”
Nienaber and Erasmus have not been shy to pluck both Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Manie Libbok out of the Stormers for the 34-man group that will play Ireland next Saturday, followed by France, Italy and England.
“The three guys that we used consistently at 10 since 2018 were Handre (Pollard), Elton (Jantjies) and Frans (Steyn), and they are unfortunately not available. But Damian (Willemse) has done a great job for us at flyhalf this year,” Nienaber explained.
“We earmarked Johan Goosen when we had our discussions in February. He was the guy that we said, ‘Who is the next flyhalf if we do get an injury?’ He spent some time with us in the whole preparation camp before the Wales Tests, and also before the Rugby Championship.
“He’s been with us on the field and he helped Stokke (backs coach Mzwandile Stick) with some coaching stuff. So, he has a fairly good idea of how we operate and do things.”
Libbok must have been wondering what more he had to do to earn a Bok call-up, but his time has come.
SPRINGBOK SQUAD
Props: Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Vincent Koch (unattached), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Ox Nche (Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)
Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota
Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks)
Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Jason Jenkins (Leinster), Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie (both Stormers)
Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Evan Roos (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)
Utility forwards: Deon Fourie
(Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)
Flyhalves: Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse (both Stormers)
Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles)
Outside backs: Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Sbu Nkosi (Bulls)
Utility backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon), Sacha FeinbergMngomezulu (Stormers)
SA A Squad
Forwards: Simphiwe Matanzima (Vodacom Bulls), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks), Sazi Sandi (Stormers), Mornay Smith (Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels
(Bulls), Joseph Dweba (Stormers), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls), Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Sharks).
Backs: Herschel Jantjies (Stormers), Sanele Nohamba (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Johan Goosen (Bulls), Gianni Lombard (Lions), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Cornal Hendricks (Bulls), Suleiman Hartzenberg (Stormers), Henco van Wyk (Lions).