Although I may not always agree with it, I can still understand why Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber chose Frans Steyn for the match against Argentina on Saturday. However, there was another option.
Nienaber chose the seasoned Steyn in the No. 10 jersey out of concern for his safety due to the injury to Damian Willemse and the absence of Elton Jantjies.
The riskier decision would have been Willie Le Roux in the pivot position, but the Boks must win the game to win the Rugby Championship championship since the All Blacks will undoubtedly defeat the Wallabies with a bonus point at Eden Park early on Saturday.
Le Roux has the skills to dominate the Bok backline at Kings Park, and he wasn’t dubbed “Quade Cooper” for nothing when he shone for Boland as a flyhalf all those years ago.
The 33-year-kicking old’s skill is underappreciated, and he possesses a great passing technique and enough speed to outrun the defence. He could struggle to deal with large loose forwards rushing at him near to the ruck, but if it becomes a significant issue, it is simple to move him to the wing or fullback.
The energetic, young-looking Steyn who won admiration in the 2007 Rugby World Cup was a bundle of energy, but we know what to expect from the 35-year-old now: a powerful defensive player, a booming kicker, and a capable ball handler. However, he won’t provide the finesse that Le Roux, the team’s primary playmaker, would, so it would have been worthwhile to try him out as No. 10 a year before the World Cup.
Given that Kurt-Lee Arendse, who is now back in the lineup, hasn’t played in four weeks, it was encouraging to see Canan Moodie kept at right flank. He has earned another start.
Pieter-Steph du Toit was selected as the blindside flank, which was another important decision made by Nienaber. According to the coach, “Pieter-energy Steph’s and enthusiasm at practise have also been great, and we know what he is capable of in this loose trio, so I am sure he will make an impact among the loose forwards.”
However, there was little need to alter Franco Mostert’s position at No. 7 since it had been successful in the previous two games. While Du Toit has struggled to get going since returning from an injury, the latter has shown genuine “energy and excitement” in victories against the Wallabies and Los Pumas in Sydney and Buenos Aires.
Kwagga Smith, who has performed well when starting and nearly always has an effect off the bench, may have also been a contender.
Speaking of the bench, choosing a six-to-two split in favour of the forwards was a risky move, especially considering that the team didn’t have a single fit flyhalf.
Nienaber said that Faf de Klerk would serve as the backup pivot if something happened to Steyn, but this year has witnessed a several instances of the World Cup “Bomb Squad” strategy going awry due to injuries.
With just De Klerk and Arendse covering the backline, Mostert, Duane Vermeulen, and Smith should not all be considered reserves. Andre Esterhuizen, who covers the middle and has played flyhalf for his English side Harlequins, would have been a good acquisition.