Where’s our next scrumhalf?

One of Heyneke Meyer's biggest mistakes as Bok coach may be that he's failed to identify, and develop this country's next No9. Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images

One of Heyneke Meyer's biggest mistakes as Bok coach may be that he's failed to identify, and develop this country's next No9. Photo by Steve Haag/Gallo Images

Published Sep 16, 2014

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He’s made some successful calls in his time as Springbok coach – bringing back Victor Matfield and picking Sevens star Cornal Hendricks among them – but Heyneke Meyer’s also made a few blunders – like backing Coenie Oosthuizen as a tighthead prop and selecting Juan Smith when he wasn’t match fit. One of his biggest mistakes though, may be that he’s failed to identify, and develop, this country’s next No9.

Meyer is banking plenty on Fourie du Preez being fit for the World Cup, but what if he isn’t? Is Ruan Pienaar genuinely a Test quality scrumhalf – does he produce the goods week-in and week-out? For my money, he’s just too inconsistent and poses little threat to the opposition to be a first choice.

Francois Hougaard, too, is in the squad more on reputation than sheer form and, like Pienaar, he’s lost his killer instinct, his nippiness and match-changing ability. Only Du Preez has the all-round game to give the opposition something to worry about.

Pienaar joining Du Preez on the sidelines at least gives Meyer a chance to see where Hougaard is – and whether he in fact still has what it takes to play at the highest level. Also, Cobus Reinch is sure to get an opportunity in Cape Town or Joburg… and we must all hope that both men grab their chance and ease what has become a real headache area for the Boks.

It is truly an unfortunate state of affairs that no scrumhalf is even close to unseating a fit Du Preez. Meyer will certainly be praying his veteran No9 is healthy and well for the World Cup.

On another note, I can’t help but feel the rugby public, as well as the players, deserve more than what they’re currently getting out of the Rugby Championship.

Wouldn’t it be far more exciting and enjoyable if this week we were building up to a second Test against the All Blacks, rather than looking for clues and answers as to why the Boks fell short in Wellington?

The Boks know they lacked composure in those dying minutes at the “Cake Tin”, they know they were one good line-out drive away from registering a victory and they know the margin between themselves and the All Blacks is tiny. But imagine if the Boks could have another crack at Richie McCaw’s charges this Saturday…

It’s all well and good to play an annual competition, but the good old-fashioned Test series still tops it all. I know it won’t happen, but how I wish we could have a proper three- or four-Test series against the All Blacks again. One-off Tests home and away leaves one feeling short-changed.

C’mon, give us a series that will be a proper indicator of a team’s superiority, or not, over another. - The Star

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