The Springboks arrived in Durban last night in a late winter chill and by the time they depart their Umhlanga Rocks hotel in nearly six weeks time, spring will have sprung, the 31-man World Cup squad will have been announced at a glittering function (August 28) at their hotel, they will have played Argentina twice, and who knows how the completed puzzle will look with question marks over so many of the pieces?
The Boks leave Durban on September 3, have a couple of nights at home and then a final camp in Johannesburg from September 6 until their departure for England on the 11th, and their opening Pool match against Japan on September 19.
It is as sudden as that. For Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, this crucial extended camp in Durban is going to be a balancing act between re-introducing rehabilitated players to action and getting back to winning ways, and at the same time whipping those that are healthy into the best possible shape given that one of Meyer’s chief laments is that his players currently are not fit enough to win a World Cup.
The fortnight of games against the Wallabies and All Blacks were hugely instructive for Meyer in that he has learned a great deal about his depth and the value of experience in the second half of games, where the lack of it has cost the Boks wins they should have secured.
The reality is that the Boks have lost four of their last six Test matches (against Ireland and Wales last November and then the latest defeats) and this week’s Rugby Championship match simply has to be won from a morale point of view, even if it is in the context of the bigger picture of the World Cup. Establishing some kind of winning momentum in the home and away matches against the Pumas is as important as getting key players fit.
The Boks have never lost to Argentina (18 wins, one draw) and it would be a disaster from a South African point of view if the South Americans break their duck in Durban on Saturday.
Fitness permitting, Meyer is likely to bring back much of his Old Guard for the match, the likes of Jean de Villiers, Fourie du Preez, Morné Steyn, Francois Steyn and Willem Alberts, and if those steady hands are on the tiller in the field in the second half, the Boks hopefully will avoid the fourth quarter implosions that cost them wins in Brisbane and Johannesburg.
This morning will be dedicated to extensive fitness evaluations which will give Meyer an idea of who he can pick for a Test that will determine who ends up with the Rugby Championship wooden spoon (the match against the Pumas in Buenos Aires on August 15 is a friendly and the Boks will be away from Durban for just four days).
This week, Meyer will have to have another look at his options at tighthead because of the injury to Jannie du Plessis (knee), while openside Francois Louw (shoulder), wing JP Pietersen (hamstring) and lock Victor Matfield (hamstring) are others that will not play again until the World Cup.
De Villiers, Du Preez, Steyn and Alberts will be assessed today as they complete the final phase of rehabilitation while influential players such as No8 Duane Vermeulen and prop Coenie Oosthuizen are progressing well with their rehabilitation but a long way from making comebacks.
Other injury victims, tightheads Vincent Koch (ribs) and Frans Malherbe (hip), No8 Warren Whiteley (ribs) should be fit and available for selection this week while centre Jan Serfontein (hip and knee), flank Marcell Coetzee (knee) and prop Steven Kitshoff (knee) are rated “50-50” ahead of today’s assessments with regard to availability for Saturday.
Centre Steyn, the prodigal son back in the Bok camp after last playing a Test in September 2012, has been training with the Sharks in recent weeks and looks over the pectoral muscle injury he suffered in Super Rugby.
There was good news for Meyer at the weekend when No5 lock Pieter-Steph du Toit came through his comeback match for the Sharks against the Lions in Pietermaritzburg and he will join the Bok camp today.
Meyer, looking at his overall options at this stage said: “While it’s never ideal to lose experienced players to injury, it provides others with opportunities. We wanted to mix things up a bit in the two Tests against Argentina and the next players in line will now have to show they can perform at the highest level before we finalise the Rugby World Cup squad.” - The Star