A settled Springbok starting lineup dominated their opposition in 2009 but, with just one full season separating the World champions from the 2011 showpiece event, there's a growing concern around depth at the following key positions:
Scrumhalf - Ruan Pienaar
The Springboks have been blessed by the resilience of Fourie du Preez, the world's best scrumhalf. But the backup role is up for grabs and, while a bevy of pretenders have emerged to tender for national selection, only Ricky Januarie and Ruan Pienaar warrant serious consideration.
The Stormers halfback appeared distracted in 2009 and few would disagree that he's had an abysmal season, but that doesn't detract from what Januarie brings to the team in terms of experience and a relentless work rate on defence.
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| Pienaar is not the most gited defender |
Pienaar is a gifted footballer who wants to play scrumhalf and his technical finesse and tactical savvy - coupled to the fact that he provides emergency cover as a goal-kicker - make up for the fact that he's not the most fearsome defender.
Flyhalf - Burton Francis
With Butch James running on plastic knees, Ruan Pienaar allergic to double-digit jerseys and Meyer Bosman's powers waning exponentially for every day that he's away from Bloemfontein the Boks urgently need to nurture a backup for the peerless Morne Steyn.
Several promising youngsters are taking their first steps as pros, including Francois Brummer and Guy Cronje, while journeymen Jacques-Louis Potgieter and Naas Olivier featured prominently during the Currie Cup.
Given the startling dearth of an obvious candidate, perhaps now would be a good time to invest in a rookie who has the tactical attributes required at an international level, such as Lions-bound pivot Burton Francis.
| Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen form a settled wing combination |
Wing - Lionel Mapoe
Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen form a settled wing combination but there's a sharp drop-off in reliable talent behind these players with Odwa Ndungane's cerebral tactical play far better suited to fullback and Jongi Nokwe's breath-taking speed negated by the fact he's not much of an all-rounder.
Gritty Lions winger Dusty Noble, Emerging Boks flyer Bjorn Basson and Bulls greyhound Gerhard van den Heever feature near the top of a list of potential Boks but Cheetahs finisher Lionel Mapoe has this season made the most compelling case for his inclusion on the year-end tour.
Hooker - Tiaan Liebenberg
Chilliboy Ralepelle will point to a run of injuries and a lack of game time in explaining why his career has spluttered since making his Bok debut three years ago but the reality is that there are no sporting reasons to merit his selection ahead of Tiaan Liebenberg, Adriaan Strauss or Bandise Maku.
Unlike Ralepelle, Maku has made the most of scant opportunities to establish himself as a prominent contender for a place in the Bok setup, while Strauss is a prototypical hooker, powerful in the scrum, reasonably mobile and accurate at the lineout.
But Liebenberg offers the most, adding an emotive intensity to his play that inspires his team-mates.
Tighthead - CJ van der Linde
John Smit is a great leader but, based on his scrumming performances in 2009, it's difficult to agree with pundits who have hailed the former hooker's move to tighthead as a success.
Smit is unlikely to sack himself any time in the near future, which makes it vitally important that the Boks install a quality second-stringer to steady the scrum when the skipper starts to blow in the fourth quarter.
Jannie du Plessis has been plugged for the job while a WP Nel-led Cheetahs scrum embarrassed the Bok front row in the Currie Cup semi-final in Durban. But BJ Botha (Ulster) and CJ van der Linde (Leinster) remain South Africa's most capable tightheads, with the mobility of the latter earning him the nod.
- This article was originally published on page 20 of Cape Argus on October 27, 2009
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