Boks hope versatility can pull them through

SA’s loss of Malcolm Marx will be keenly felt but with loose forwards who can play hooker and scrumhalves that feature on the wing or at flyhalf, they hope versatility will be a major factor in the defence of their Rugby World Cup title.

Marx was ruled out of the tournament on Thursday with the Springboks yet to name a replacement, indicating it might not be another hooker.

Loose forwards Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden are covering the hooker position in Sunday’s Pool B clash against Romania, while flanker Kwagga Smith provides backline cover.

Though Bongi Mbonambi will now have to step forward as the go-to hooker at the tournament, it leaves the Boks in a position they had hoped to avoid.

Their decision to name just two regular hookers in their 33-man squad for the RWC invited questions.  

While Mbonambi and Fourie are the designated hookers for this weekend’s clash against Romania in Bordeaux, the Boks could summon Joseph Dweba who was left out of the touring group.

Dweba has been a regular in the Bok group over the past year or so and should fit in seamlessly should he be asked to head to France.

In the short-term, with Mbonambi and Fourie the only hookers in the group, flank Van Staden has been put on notice for a potential role in the front row should the need arise.

He has practised the primary hooking disciplines over the recent past.

The Boks have 14 backs in France and all but three — centres André Esterhuizen, Damian de Allende  and wing Makazole Mapimpi — can play multiple positions.

It is this versatility that allows coach Jacques Nienaber to use a 6-2 split between forwards and backs on the bench, adding grit and muscle to the mix for the full 80 minutes.

Nienaber raised eyebrows when he selected four scrumhalves in his match day 23 against Romania, but there is method to what some see as madness.

Cobus Reinach starts in the No 9 jersey and the speedy Grant Williams is on the wing.

Faf de Klerk will come on at flyhalf and Jaden Hendrikse will replace Reinach.

“From the start, people were wondering why we were taking four scrumhalves but if you look at the versatility within that, that’s what we saw,” Nienaber said.

“Grant played his school career on the wing, it was only in his last couple of games he moved to nine.

“A guy like Cobus can help us out on the wing as well.

“Faf played flyhalf for the majority of his school career and for the Lions in Super Rugby and Sale Sharks in the Premiership.

“I’m not being disrespectful to Romania but it’s an opportunity to try him out in a Test match under pressure at 10.”

Nienaber may hesitate to make such selections against a tier 1 nation, but he is confident the players will perform.

“It’s not a risk for us. It is well calculated. We are comfortable with what we saw in training.

“We believe that the guys are good enough in those positions to beat the opposition.”

Damian Willemse makes the switch from fullback to flyhalf and Nienaber has no concerns about a disruption to the Boks’ vaunted defensive structure in what is a crucial channel.

“If you look at Damian at 10, or Faf, there isn’t a problem from a defensive viewpoint.

“They’re brave, they put their heads in dark places. You don’t have to hide them on defence.”

With Liam del Carme

Reuters