Durban - It is the million-dollar question. In 2015, is Fourie du Preez still the match-winner that guided the Springboks to the 2007 Rugby World Cup and the Bulls to three Super Rugby titles?
Du Preez himself thinks so, and Heyneke Meyer is certainly of that belief, and the coach’s dogged loyalty to the publicity-shy 33-year-old has to be admired. Nobody knows the scrumhalf better than the man who coached him at the Bulls for a decade.
Du Preez, who has barely played in the last year because of injury and is barely known to younger South African fans, will be the general to guide the Boks in England, rendering the flyhalf question of secondary importance.
And the No 10 question has itself been keenly debated since last November, when Handré Pollard was the starting flyhalf against Ireland in Dublin, but Patrick Lambie the incumbent in the position when the tour ended in Cardiff.
That switched around in the Rugby Championship, perhaps due to Lambie being injured for almost all of Super Rugby and Pollard playing some fine matches for the Bulls, notably when the Sharks were defeated at Loftus in the second round.
Without taking anything away from Pollard and Lambie, the way Meyer sees it, Fourie is key and was a chief reason for the Boks winning the World Cup back in 2007.
It should be remembered that André Pretorius was the first-choice flyhalf when the squad arrived in France, but played his way out of contention in the pool games, and it was Butch James that came in as the starting pivot.
James was the perfect foil for Du Preez, who marshalled the Boks’ game plan and oversaw them to the title.
Du Preez was similarly influential in the Bulls’ three Super Rugby title triumphs, and Meyer is convinced the 70-cap veteran can orchestrate one more trophy triumph.
But is Du Preez still the same player? No one knows because he has been based in Japan for the last four years, but Du Preez reckons the high-paced Japanese game has made him a better player because it has forced him to be quicker to the breakdown and to make quicker decisions.
The demure Du Preez is reported to have said that he would not have made himself available for selection if Meyer didn’t believe he was still the best scrumhalf in South Africa, and could do the same job he did eight years ago.
In 2011, he was powerless in a quarter-final fiasco in Wellington where referee Bryce Lawrence didn’t police the breakdowns and rendered the No 9 powerless.
Pollard, Meyer’s latest prodigy, is likely to partner Du Preez in the ideal starting line-up. The 21-year-old will give the Boks an added attacking dimension, especially if put into space by his experienced half-back partner.
Pollard has that X-factor that coaches so often speak about, and Du Preez is the player to bring it to the fore.
Lambie also has match-winner written all over him, and he might well force himself ahead of Pollard. Meyer was given plenty of food for thought when the 24-year-old played an immaculate tactical game in the win over Argentina in Buenos Aires after having previously been on the bench.
And then there is the seasoned campaigner, Morné Steyn, a proven match-winner who can be called on to do the job should injury strike Pollard or Lambie. Steyn is Meyer’s banker who has done it all before and seldom been found wanting in pressure situations.
So with flyhalf taken care of, what about scrumhalf? The back-up to Du Preez is another veteran in Ruan Pienaar, who is as dependable as he is unexciting. The 31-year-old has been based in Northern Ireland at Ulster for the last five years and has the advantage of knowing the conditions in England better than most.
The third-choice No 9 probably offers more options and it is pity that uncapped Rudy Paige didn’t get opportunities in the Rugby Championship.
He was a controversial selection ahead of Cobus Reinach but on Super Rugby form, his presence is warranted.
Cape Times