Cape Town - When Heyneke Meyer began his tenure as Springbok coach in June 2012, injury forced him to pick three different fullbacks in his first Test series in charge against England.
Zane Kirchner wore the 15 jersey in Durban, Patrick Lambie took over the next week in Johannesburg and Gio Aplon was drafted into the squad and started in Port Elizabeth.
Kirchner returned, though, for the subsequent Rugby Championship and was regarded as the first-choice fullback for the rest of the year.
But Meyer eventually realised that he needed a greater attacking threat from the back than the Bulls man, who was good under the high ball, but inevitably would kick an up-and-under back rather than look for counter-attacking opportunities.
The Bok coach wanted to take his team to the next level in terms of their ball-in-play as well in 2013, and that saw Willie le Roux earn his spot after a second consecutive outstanding Super Rugby season. Meyer had taken a giant leap with that selection, but stopped himself by bringing back Kirchner for the Rugby Championship, shifting Le Roux to right wing.
But it was a waste of Le Roux’s talents as he wasn’t quite as involved out wide as he was up the middle, and going down to the All Blacks once more, the Bok coach even gave Lambie another shot at No 15 before entrenching Le Roux at the back on last year’s November tour to Europe.
Since then, Le Roux has been the Boks’ main attacking weapon, and there is no going back now to a more conservative player like Kirchner.
But they probably rely too much on Le Roux to “make things happen”. That was quite apparent in the Newlands Test against Australia - Le Roux was even brought into the flyhalf channel throughout the game, which affected Handré Pollard’s ability to run the show.
That also meant Le Roux could create his special brand of magic from fullback.
To their credit, the Bok management identified the problem towards the end of the Newlands Test, bringing on Lambie at flyhalf to take control.
And in the next Test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park, Pollard was given full licence to dictate play, and he did that superbly, scoring two tries and displaying his full range of attacking, kicking and defensive skills.
But with Le Roux at fullback, the danger with placing so much responsibility on one player, though, is this: what would happen if he were to be injured?
It could change the entire gameplan of the Boks, and possibly make the counter-attacking strategy toothless. That is why Meyer has gone the out-of-the-box route and brought in Johan Goosen as a fullback option on this tour.
The 22-year-old Goosen didn’t crack a spot in the match squad for Saturday’s Test against Ireland, but is sure to see some gametime, either against England, Italy or Wales.
But can he be the next Le Roux? Is he not a better flyhalf? Well, the fact that he is not playing at No 10 for his French club Racing Metro is the first issue. Goosen has become a fullback recently, and Meyer has been impressed enough by what he saw to call up his protégé again.
The former Cheetahs star ran in the reserve team at fullback during training in Dublin this week, and looked to be full of running. He has always been good at identifying space, and was good at putting teammates into gaps on the outside while playing against the starting line-up.
He has good speed himself as well, and likes to take on the line, while he has a massive kicking boot too.
So, while he battled to establish himself at No 10, he looks to have all the tools to make a success of a move to fulback.
But, where does that leave Lambie? As much as he has made a difference when coming on at flyhalf in the last two Bok Tests, can’t he also be an alternative to Le Roux at fullback?
The fact that Meyer said this week that he will give the Sharks playmaker a start at 10 on tour, and that it had been a “big call” to stick with Pollard against Ireland, indicates that the coach isn’t thinking about utilising the 24-year-old at the back.
But the Boks’ rhythm was a bit disrupted when Pollard was substituted in the All Blacks Test in Johannesburg, with Lambie coming on in the pivot position.
Perhaps it would’ve been a better move on the day to send Lambie on at fullback and shift Le Roux to wing.
So, Meyer should keep the Lambie-at-fullback card open.
Weekend Argus