Jacques Nienaber strapped in almal in die kar including the backseat drivers for Saturday’s trip to Loftus Versfeld, safety first glo die man.
I understand why. But there are times when you sit back and think, heck this ride could have been a bit more exciting.
I suppose reaching the destination is the end goal and it’s clear by his team selection for the first Test against Wales that the end-goal is next year’s World Cup in France.
But what about the mense that like to see you speed over a speed bump for the gat to draai a bit before pulling the car straight again? The thrill seekers?
I can’t really claim to be one of them, ek is maar n boring ou hoe ouer ek word. But I felt absolutely no jolt of excitement when the Springbok team was announced on Tuesday.
No you say, what would have given me that spark? The willingness to give Warrick Gelant a run at 15, the courage to play the in-form No.8 in the country Evan Roos, the balls to a rookie in Elrigh Louw at No.7 and maybe even just include one at least one fetcher - read Deon Fourie or Marcell Coetzee - in your matchday squad.
I won’t argue our tight five - pick anyone, we’ll still kick butt.
But what did these manne do?
They picked a man who hasbn’t played 15 the whole year, Damian Willemse, at fullback - because it was decided long ago that this should be the case, they pick an overseas-based player who is not a regular over the player who has just been named the URC’s best and playing in South Africa at No.8, they move a lock to flank to cover for a converted flank in Pieter-Steph du Toit and they fail to pick a single out-and-out fetcher in the squad.
Yes, nowadays almal play to the ball. But can almal play to the ball as well as Fourie or Coetzee?
Anyway, as I said I understand why Nienaber buckled in for the first Test.
If the Boks produce the expected result in front of a capacity crowd at Loftus on Saturday, I want to see a more adventurous team going forward.
Once we have established that we are indeed the superior side - to one whose United Rugby Championship teams couldn’t even make the playoffs, while they finished fifth in the Six Nations - let’s roll down the windows a bit and put our elbows on the door frame.
Yes, it’s a year before the World Cup and you only have so many Tests before the tournament kicks off, you need all the experience to win tournaments, players must understand the ‘Bok way’... Batman smack!
Reward good form! Not the third-best team in the country, who has SIX players in the starting XV and your URC winners only Two. That tells me something’s wrong.
Anyway, onto Saturday.
I expect the Boks to lack synergy in the first Test.
With it being the first outing of the year, the selectors have failed to select combinations.
Look at the back three. Willemse, Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi het mekaar vir die jaar nie gesien nie. I’d like to see the communication between them when Wales bombard them with high kicks on Saturday.
Lukhanyo Am and Damian de Allende are like brandy and coke, they’ll be fine. But wanneer laas did they play next to Elton Jantjies, who will get his feed from Faf de Klerk wat hy moontlik laas jaar laas gesien het.
That’s the problem with picking overseas-based players - the manne are scattered all over the world and kind of lose touch with each other.
Up front, they have the same problems. Bongi Mbonambi has not aimed at Eben Etzebeth, who only joined the Sharks at the end of last season, or Lood de Jager in a matchday lineout since 2021. So I expect there to be an element of “Barbarians” rugby to this team and that’s probably the reason why Nienaber stuck to his guns.
Again, a different selection here or there could have oiled this car well. Instead, I believe it will be a slow-poison, hakkerige performance. But they will pull it together soon enough to get the result in the end.
Springboks: 15 Damian Willemse, 14 Cheslin Kolbe, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Franco Mostert, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi and 1 Ox Nche.
Replacements: 16 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), 17 Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), 18 Vincent Koch (Wasps), 19 Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), 20 Elrigh Louw (Bulls), 21 Kwagga Smith (Jubilo), 22 Herschel Jantjies (Stormers), 23 Willie le Roux (Verblitz).
dudley.carstens@in.co.za