When does a bench player actually deserve to start?
This issue has come to the fore in the last few weeks in the Springbok and Western Province camps. But each case should be considered on an individual basis instead of a blanket decision that all bench players must start.
On the Bok front, Bismarck du Plessis is pushing hard to start ahead of John Smit at hooker, and in fact, that will be happening on Friday against Samoa. Smit is supposedly being given a break after starting all three pool games, and it’s Bismarck’s chance to wreak havoc on the Samoans and make a big statement on a personal front.
Bismarck has proven his ability on several occasions, while Smit is not the same player he was in 2007 when lifting the Webb Ellis Cup. Even then, there were question marks about his place in the team, and he was lucky to hold on to the captaincy at the time as well.
But Bismarck is certainly the better player in 2011, although Peter de Villiers is likely to stick with Smit for his “leadership skills”.
The impact Francois Hougaard has made from the bench at the World Cup has also placed Bryan Habana’s position in doubt in some people’s minds. Hougaard is extra hot at the moment! Every time he gets the ball, he makes things happen. He is dynamite with ball-in-hand, he skins defenders in one-on-one situations, and he is great on cover defence.
But Habana, even though he is not at the same level that he was at the 2007 edition, isn’t playing so badly that he should be dropped. Yes, he knocked on a few times and made a couple of wrong decisions against Namibia, but he was coming back from injury after missing the Fiji game and had found some form in the Tri-Nations home leg. And he has now scored that 39th try to clinch the Bok try-scoring record.
Habana is a world-class operator, and he tends to perform well on the big stage. His work-rate is unquestioned, and his defence is superb. Remember that the Boks also employed very different tactics against Fiji and Namibia compared to the Wales game – they were much more attack-orientated, and the ball often went wide to the wings – and maybe Habana will also shine if given as much ball against Samoa.
Hougaard can provide that impact off the bench, and even in place of Fourie du Preez at scrumhalf. The Bulls mastermind hasn’t been at his best all year long, so if he is unable to spark his teammates or make something happen himself, then he should make way for Hougaard in the second half.
At WP, loose forwards Siya Kolisi and Nizaam Carr are being left on the bench despite the incumbents Nick Fenton-Wells and Tertius Daniller failing to make any meaningful contributions when they start. Coach Allister Coetzee said last week that no one else in the side came close to Fenton-Wells and Daniller in terms of “ruck involvements”, but what’s the point if they don’t do anything when they get to the rucks?
They don’t make much impact when carrying the ball either, so surely Kolisi and Carr have to start?
Enough of messing around with minnow teams at the World Cup. The tournament is only really starting now, with a couple of pool deciders and then the playoffs. We’ve had a few nail-biters like Ireland-Australia, SA-Wales and Argentina-Scotland, but the rest of the games have been a waste of time.
Like the Uefa Champions League in soccer, the Super Rugby tournament is the premier event in world rugby when it comes to competitiveness and entertainment.
But there is a way to ensure that the World Cup is the most difficult prize to win in rugby. We could have more Ireland-Australia-type games if there is a format similar to Super Rugby – let the top 10 teams play each other either in a league, and then the top four go through to the semifinals.
That will determine the true world champions, not this shadow-boxing for four weeks, and then just three games to win the Webb Ellis Cup ...
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@BryanHabana (after claiming the Springbok try-scoring record): “@Francoishougi dankie my vriend!! Waardeer!!! Jy gaan nog n legend word!! Hou so aan!!!”
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