Johannesburg – Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer said selecting world cup-winning right wing JP Pietersen on the bench was a disgrace but was a reflection of the depth in the squad.
Pietersen came off the bench in last weekend's 28-10 Rugby Championship victory over the Wallabies in Cape Town, where he replaced prolific try-scorer Cornal Hendricks.
While Pietersen is equally comfortable at outside centre, his usual position of wing has been occupied by Hendricks, who had scored five tries in eight Tests since he made his debut against Wales in Durban in June.
Pietersen held no grudges against Hendricks setting the playing field on fire in his debut year, and instead congratulated him on his performances in the green and gold.
“At the moment Cornal (Hendricks) and Bryan (Habana) are playing really well, as a player you just have to wait for your opportunity to come,” Pietersen said ahead of Saturday's clash against New Zealand at Ellis Park.
“You have to give credit to Cornal, he's taken his opportunities and scoring tries, as a player you want to be in the starting line-up.”
Pietersen's playing duties to Japanese side Kobe Steelers kept him out of the first four matches of the Rugby Championship.
He looked at home on the wing when he came on in the second half of last weekend's Test and hoped to stake a claim for his position once again.
“I've been in the June Tests, so it is more or less the same, but it is not nice to lose your momentum from June then start again in the Rugby Championship,” he said.
While the Springboks are often under fire for their perceived conservative approach, Meyer has been adamant that the team had a ball-in-hand mindset.
Pietersen said the shift was not evident within the team structure but it was clear from the team's performances.
“Heyneke changed the way we used to play, we are given more freedom to see if there are opportunities on the field,” he said.
“We've got a good game-plan, it gives us more freedom to think on the field, if we call a play but there is an opportunity you have to play the opportunity.
“You could see against Australia, the ball was in play for a very long time, the mindset he instils in the players is to have a go and think on the field.”
Pietersen said his temporary move to the Land of the Rising Sun had been beneficial to his rugby and to him as a person.
“The move is definitely beneficial for my rugby, I've got more time as a player to reflect on myself and what I can improve and it also opens my mind about rugby,” he said.
“The different culture, different type of rugby they play in Japan compared to South Africa, so my diet has changed to sushi and fish.
“We do a lot of skill training, breaking away from the physicality and improve things like handling skills, aerial skills that makes you a more all-round wing and player.” – Sapa