Boks will soon need all hands on deck

Game time for captain Siya Kolisi and flyhalf Handré Pollard must be deemed the priority for the Springboks in their last two warm-up matches before the Rugby World Cup kicks off in France in September.

With head coach Jacques Nienaber emphasising the importance of his team’s opening match of the RWC against Scotland, the need to go into that clash in Marseille all guns blazing cannot be overstated.

“We are going to be in knock-out rugby mode from the first game. Scotland is the most important game for us. We must make sure we peak for it. The Scotland game is going to be massive,” Nienaber asserted after watching his team beat Argentina 24-13 in their warm-up game in Buenos Aires on Saturday.

The injuries to flank and skipper Kolisi, seasoned pivot Pollard and to a lesser extent scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse, have cast a shadow over the Boks World Cup preparations.

Kolisi (knee), Pollard (calf) and Hendrikse (shoulder) all missed the Rugby Championship and the trio also sat out Saturday’s clash in South America.

Hendrikse, restored to fitness and widely expected to be in the World Cup squad, is likely to do duty for the Boks against Wales in Cardiff on August 19.

The prognosis for Kolisi and Pollard is less clear, though in both cases the management has presented an optimistic forecast for their fitness before the global showpiece.

Kolisi, who suffered a tear of his anterior cruciate ligament while playing for the Sharks against Munster in April, has also beamed optimism about his recovery and participation in the World Cup.

Even if his date of return is set beyond the London clash against New Zealand in the last warm-up match on August 26,  he will be included in the World Cup squad set to be unveiled on Tuesday. The Boks though will want to field a team that resembles their best against the All Blacks.

Director of rugby Rassie Erasmus has made it clear they will accommodate Kolisi even if it means he returns to fitness during the tournament. That of course, will not come without risk.

Unless Kolisi sees action in the two warm-up games and his knee stands up to the challenge, Nienaber and Co will have to build contingencies in the way they assemble their squad.

Kwagga Smith has deputised ably for Kolisi in the past but the Boks may need further fortification in their back row if the captain does not feature in the initial part of the World Cup.

Pollard is also crucial to the Bok cause. His experience and temperament in tight, tense contests are precious commodities at the World Cup.

Manie Libbok has done well in the No 10 jersey in his absence, while Damian Willemse proved his worth in 2022’s end-of-year tour. The Boks however need Pollard, not just as their primary flyhalf option, but as potential second receiver when the occasion demands it.

The need to hit the deck running against Scotland is paramount for the defending champions. Scotland are ranked fifth in the world, just one spot below SA.

Like the Boks, they rallied in the second half in their warm-up match on Saturday, though France fielded a second-string team.

The Boks cannot afford to slip up in pool play like they did four years ago.

To be fair though, the Boks were pretty much in knock-out mode from the opening weekend when they were defeated by New Zealand in Yokohama. That defeat obligated them to win six matches in a row en route to the title, a feat they achieved with aplomb, thus becoming the first team to lose a pool match before going on to win the title.

While they had a smooth path in the remainder of their pool action in Japan, this time they also have to face the challenge of Ireland, the top-ranked team in the world.

They will need all hands on deck from the outset in Marseille.