Selection dilemma for Bok coach

Is Bok coach Allister Coetzee going to drop Faf De Klerk for the clash against the Wallabies at Loftus? Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ www.Photosport.nz

Is Bok coach Allister Coetzee going to drop Faf De Klerk for the clash against the Wallabies at Loftus? Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ www.Photosport.nz

Published Sep 28, 2016

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A changed front-row and halfback pairing are on the cards for this weekend’s Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies in Pretoria, but don’t expect any new faces in what is now a fairly established Springbok back-row.

While Julian Redelinghuys could return at tighthead prop after missing the trip to Australasia with a hamstring injury and there being the likelihood that both Faf de Klerk and Elton Jantjies will miss out this weekend, Warren Whiteley, Oupa Mohoje and Francois Louw are in line to again start as the first choice Bok loose-trio.

That would mean Jaco Kriel, the live-wire openside flank of the Lions and possibly South Africa’s most devastating loose-forward in the 2016 Super Rugby competition, again playing off the bench, along with big Willem Alberts, who returned to the Bok side ahead of the Test in Christ-church two weeks ago.

The debate around Louw and Kriel, and who should be starting for the Boks, has raged since June, but Tuesday assistant coach Matt Proudfoot explained the thinking behind Louw being preferred to Kriel.

“I know there’s been some criticism levelled at the balance of the backrow, the combination we have in place, but I’m really happy with what they’ve been doing,” said Proudfoot.

“The question is, is a six an openside, a fetcher? I’m always baffled at that terminology.

“He (the openside flank) does a lot more than steal loose ball,” said Proudfoot. “The first role of an openside is to control the first breakdown (in a passage of play) ... he must take care of that ball to give his team continuity in attack.

“There I think Francois has been really, really good. In the previous game against the Wallabies, against (Michael) Hooper and (David) Pocock, our launch was good. I am happy (wit) what Francois is doing ... he also adds maturity to the backrow, which is important.”

Proudfoot also gave Mohoje and Whiteley the big thumbs up: “Oupa is developing nicely, he’s doing well defensively and his breakdown work is good ... it’s a role spectators don’t see. And Warren’s playing really well. They’re working well together but there are areas we want them to improve on, but they’re working nicely.”

The Bok forwards coach then explained what role Kriel has in the team. “The big focus for me and Johan van Graan (assistant coach) is to create momentum in the pack ... that is, for the game plan to work we require a dominant pack, and we’ve been striving for that. We’ve possibly erred on the side of continuity and wanting to release players off the bench to add intensity to the game ... and Jaco has been thriving when the game opens up after halftime. He’s carried well, is extremely quick to get to the link points and does damage carrying the ball. It’s the same role we want Willem Alberts to perform.”

While the Bok back row is likely to be unchanged from their last meeting with the Wallabies, the visitors will be forced to make a change because Pocock is injured and hasn’t come to South Africa. Proudfoot is still expecting the visitors to pick two specialist openside flanks.

“Their approach to the first breakdown will be to go hard at it, to slow us down. I don’t think they’ll change because one player is out,” said Proudfoot.

Lopeti Timani and Sean McMahon are the contenders to take Pocock’s place.

The tough choices facing Coetzee before he names his team are the following: Johan Goosen or Willie le Roux at fullback, Pat Lambie or Morne Steyn at flyhalf and Rudy Paige or Francois Hougaard at scrumhalf?

The Star

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