Cape Town - For most of the Rassie Erasmus-Jacques Nienaber era, the Springbok back-three have usually been the same trio.
Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe and Makazole Mapimpi picked themselves at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, and even when Le Roux battled with his form in Japan and told Erasmus it would be understandable if he were to be dropped for the final, he was backed in the No 15 jersey and produced a solid display in the 32-12 triumph over England in Yokohama.
Fast forward to next Saturday’s Rugby Championship opener against the All Blacks at Mbombela Stadium, and things are not as apparent.
Kolbe is unavailable after sustaining a fractured jaw in the final Test against Wales at Cape Town Stadium.
So, who should wear the No 14 jersey against New Zealand? The immediate thought is Bulls speedster Kurt-lee Arendse. He is lethal with ball-in-hand, brave under the high ball, and never shies away from making tackles – virtually Kolbe 2.0.
The 26-year-old from Paarl had enough good touches on attack and defence on his debut in the second Wales Test to warrant selection in Mbombela, but Nienaber opted for Jesse Kriel at right wing last year in Kolbe’s injury-enforced absence.
Kriel is normally an outside centre, but his 51 Test caps make him the safer bet in a high-stakes showdown against the All Blacks – but that doesn’t mean he would necessarily be the correct choice.
While the former Bulls stalwart has the greater physical attributes compared to Arendse, the latter is more dynamic on attack.
Willie le Roux and Warrick Gelant are two further options available at right wing.
Makazole Mapimpi is an automatic selection at left wing, so the other major talking point is full-back.
Damian Willemse was the man in possession in the first and third Tests against Wales, with Gelant starting in Bloemfontein.
Willemse was somewhat of a surprise choice at No 15 as he had starred at inside centre in the Stormers’ charge to the United Rugby Championship title, where he dovetailed superbly with Gelant and flyhalf Manie Libbok in a thrilling, attacking style of play.
Le Roux played off the bench to help rejuvenate the backline in the Pretoria Test – which saw Willemse shift to flyhalf after Elton Jantjies was replaced at half-time – and then came on in the first half in Cape Town following Kolbe’s injury.
That resulted in a reshuffle of the backline, with Le Roux at full-back and Willemse moving to centre, which saw Lukhanyo Am shifting to right wing.
On current form, Willemse should continue at No 15, although his best position is probably inside centre, where Damian de Allende is well established.
But Gelant was the best South African full-back in the URC, and his unpredictability on attack could give the Boks something dynamic.
And what about Le Roux and Frans Steyn? The former looked like his old sharp self against Wales. He is also disciplined in sticking to Nienaber’s game-plan.
What counts against Steyn is that he has been injured for more than a month, and missed the Welsh series.
@AshfakMohamed