Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer is unlikely to totally overhaul his team when he names the side for Saturday’s Test against Italy later today.
After the Boks managed to hit back following the disappointing loss to Ireland with a 31-28 victory over England last week, one may have thought that the Italy game represents an ideal chance for Meyer to rest a number of his stalwarts such as captain Jean de Villiers, vice-captain Victor Matfield and No 8 Duane Vermeulen.
But that won’t happen as the Boks were stung by the defeat to Ireland in tour opener and regard the Italians as a much tougher proposition at home than they would be in South Africa.
Meyer is set to field all his big guns against Italy at the Stadio Euganeo this weekend, although he will be missing two of them in the shape of tighthead prop Jannie du Plessis and flank Schalk Burger.
Du Plessis was officially ruled out on Monday evening with a hamstring strain that he sustained in the England Test, while Burger has left the squad as Meyer wanted to grant game-time to the other loose forwards against Italy. The Japan-based flanker is also unavailable for the Wales Test as it falls outside the IRB Test window.
So, the two real options for Meyer at tighthead prop are Cheetahs front row Coenie Oosthuizen and Lions No 3 Julian Redelinghuys – whose provincial teammate Ruan Dreyer arrived in Padova today.
Oosthuizen has the inside lane at the moment as he was the back-up for Du Plessis and came off the bench against Ireland and England. But he is still learning the ropes of tighthead play as he is actually a loosehead prop, with the uncapped Redelinghuys being a specialist tighthead.
Meyer, though, will probably go with Oosthuizen due to his greater experience of 19 Tests. And with Burger out, Teboho Mohoje is the clear favourite to wear the No 7 jersey this weekend as he is the only remaining specialist blindside flank in the squad.
But WP No 8 Nizaam Carr could be the biggest beneficiary of Burger’s absence. Carr, is competing with Warren Whiteley and Jaco Kriel for the loose-forward bench spot, and while Whiteley does have two Test caps, Carr is the most versatile.
The 23-year-old is able to play all three loose-forward roles, and while he is a classy No 8, he was outstanding as an openside flank for the Stormers in Super Rugby this season as well. He is a dynamic ball-carrier, and his flexibility should see him in line for a possible Test debut on Saturday. - Cape Argus