The last time the Springboks visited Salta in Argentina, Morne Steyn came off the bench and saved the day. Hopefully the veteran No 10 won’t be required to do the same on Saturday. He will, however, again sit on the bench - just in case.
Two years ago, almost to the day on August 23, the Boks were staring down the barrel against the Pumas, but two late tries by the visitors and Steyn’s accurate kicking, after he replaced Handre Polland, helped the Boks turn matters around and win 33-31.
Steyn kicked two conversions and a penalty in a strong late showing by the flyhalf - and it seems current coach Allister Coetzee can't resist having the 'insurance policy' that is Steyn on the bench when the going gets tough.
And tough it is for the coach and the Boks at the moment.
Coetzee’s team have battled in their four Tests this year and will be desperate to not slip up against the Pumas this weekend. As it is, they nearly came unstuck in Nelspruit last week and had it not been for a late, late show by the Boks they may well have suffered a second defeat to the Pumas.
Coetzee, by selecting the 32-year-old Steyn, is no doubt keen to have an experienced Test campaigner on his bench, a man who can close out a game when the occasion demands it; a man who will slot the penalty or conversion when it’s needed; a man who will kick his team into the right areas of the field.
Steyn is the only surprise selection in an otherwise predictable Springbok line-up named by Coetzee yesterday. He comes onto the bench in place of Juan de Jongh, with the other newcomer being Lourens Adriaanse, who takes the place of Vincent Koch, the latter moving into the starting team in place of the injured Julian Redelinghuys.
The selection of Steyn, with 61 Tests behind him, is interesting because Coetzee has up to now not really backed the multiple Super Rugby winner and Bok hero. He was not selected in the matchday squad last weekend or in the first Test against Ireland in June.
In the second and third Tests against Ireland, when the heat was on the Boks, Steyn was picked on the bench, but his only action came in the second Test when he replaced Elton Jantjies for three minutes in the second half while the starter was undergoing a concussion test. For the rest, Steyn got splinters in his bum sitting on the bench.
Coetzee explained his reason for turning Steyn’s way as such: “We expect them (Argentina) to try and put us under pressure with their tactical kicking. Morne is an experienced player with good kicking attributes, and he will provide an additional kicking cover for us.”
Boks: Johan Goosen, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe, Damien de Allende, Bryan Habana, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Warren Whiteley, Oupa Mohoje, Francois Louw, Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Vincent Koch, Adriaan Strauss (captain), Beast Mtawarira. Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Lourens Adriaanse, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Jaco Kriel, Rudi Paige, Morne Steyn, Jesse Kriel - The Star