Johannesburg - Only the best will play for the Springboks. Team coach Heyneke Meyer made this patently clear on Wednesday when he discussed his 36-man squad for the tour of Europe, starting next week, involving Tests against Ireland, England, Italy and Wales.
While it may be a fairly large Bok group, including five newcomers in Seabelo Senatla, Nizaam Carr, Jaco Kriel, Robbie Coetzee and Julian Redelinghuys, Meyer said it was unlikely all 36 tourists would get game time next month.
“I’m definitely not going to use all 36. The best team will always play and those who aren’t in the team will have to prove they’re good enough,” he said.
“But it is important though that we start to bring through the next level of Boks and here and there we will do some selective experimentation. I’m not going to cheapen the Bok jersey, though, and simply hand out caps. All 36 guys in the squad are good enough to play, but we want to win our matches and put everything in place ahead of next year’s World Cup.”
Meyer spent a great deal of time with the contracted Boks in Stellenbosch last week - something he said was hugely beneficial - but added that with just eight Tests remaining before the World Cup now was not the time to be playing around with team selections.
“There’s no incoming tour next year; only the four Rugby Championship games. So this is our last opportunity to really work with every player before the World Cup.
“But we’re not going to have our overseas-based Boks available for the Wales Test (because it falls outside the IRB Test window), so we’ve covered ourselves in the positions where players will leave us. They will have three weeks working with the squad before possibly getting an opportunity.
“We can’t expect the new guys to play from the start anyway. They don’t know the game plan, even though it’s a simple one. But if they put up their hands, like Oupa (Mohoje) did, like Trevor Nyakane did, then there’s no reason why they shouldn’t play.
“Just to be here, to be part of the Boks is a dream come true for the new guys. It’s an unbelievable learning curve and they’re certainly not just going to hold tackle bags. We’re going to work with them and get them familiarised with the Bok culture.”
Meyer said he was still somewhat concerned about the depth at tighthead prop, a position where newcomer Redelinghuys and the recalled Coenie Oosthuizen will provide cover.
“Tighthead is the one position that has frustrated me,” he said .
“I think that Jannie (du Plessis) really deserves a medal. Last year Frans Malherbe came through nicely but he’s injured again, while Marcel van der Merwe made huge strides in the last two Rugby Championship games but he is also injured.
“I believe Coenie’s best position is loosehead, he can hold his own there, but I’m going to use him as a tighthead as well. He brings so much to the game, besides his scrumming, and he can make a big impact off the bench.”
Besides Oosthuizen, who’s yet to convince at Test level as a tighthead, the other big surprise selection for the tour is Johan Goosen, who now plays his rugby in France and is set for a new role as a fullback. “I believe Johan can be a brilliant all-round 15. He’s got all the attributes, he’s big and strong, good in the air and he’s got an unbelievable boot on him. The way we use our 15, coming in as a second flyhalf, like Willie (le Roux) does, I believe Johan can do the same.
“This tour is a big step for him though, but that doesn’t mean he’ll necessarily get game time. But it’s guys like Johan who we’ll need at the World Cup, players who can cover more than one position.”
The Star