05-09-2005, 09:32 AM
Although Springbok coach Jake White has approached his second season at the helm of the national side with much the same gameplan as the first, his selection criteria have clearly changed.
At first, White's main aim seemed to be to identify a competitive first XV which would re-establish South Africa's battered rugby credentials - based on forward dominance at set-pieces and relentless pressure from the defence - and once again make Australia, New Zealand, England and France approach a Test-match against SA with some trepidation.
The end of season tour, however, showed that the first XV could not fight off the battle fatigue of a long season indefinitely and that more depth was needed.
This season, with respect regained and a Tri-Nations trophy in the cabinet until Saturday, White seems to have broadened his selection horizons. He has tweaked and replaced some members of that first XV with a longer-term plan towards building a squad of around 30 players able to cope with Test-match intensity and challenge for the 2007 World Cup.
White is blessed with a multitude of midfield riches
In that respect, White has succeeded admirably with some risky selections - who, for instance would have thought that Enrico Januarie could have overshadowed one of last season's stand out performers in Fourie du Preez?
André Pretorius's re-emergence, together with Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie as a threequarter line of real power and pace, as well as potentially adding the subtlety and sleight of hand that is needed to unlock top international defences, has been the other major feature of this season's transitions.
White is blessed with a multitude of midfield riches. Should De Villiers and Fourie continue their burgeoning partnership then few teams in the world could lay claim to the calibre of De Wet Barry and last season's Ellis Park hero Marius Joubert as back up centres. Wayne Julies and the under-21 talent of Thabang Molefe are waiting in the wings should injury strike.
John Smit is set to continue as captain and his Tri-Nations performances have taken the heat off him as first choice hooker.
White's problem areas, though, are whether veterans Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse and Os du Randt will have the legs to make the World Cup as they did in 2003, or whether replacements should be blended into the side now.
As backs Montgomery and Paulse should make it, but Du Randt, always seemingly carrying a multitude of knocks, might not. Luckily in Du Randt's case White has a tailor-made replacement in the immensely strong Gurthro Steenkamp.
Montgomery seems set to remain the first choice fullback, not only for his goalkicking prowess but also because, despite his errors in Dunedin, he remains a safer option than Brent Russell. Conrad Jantjes also cannot be ruled out of the No 15 equation.
Although White has backed Paulse's experience, two years in the cold of the French league might see him lose the No 14 jersey, especially since Jantjes can also be effective on the right-wing. With Ashwin Willemse battling long term injuries Tonderai Chavhanga seems to have the inside track as back-up winger, with the blindingly fast Bryan Habana untouchable, and irreplaceable, on the left-wing.
It seems Pretorius and Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Januarie and Du Preez will continue to alternate in the half back spots, with Pretorius' susceptability to injury the major worry. Morné Steyn and Ruan Pienaar seem the brightest young talents able to challenge.
The loose-forward cupboard is, as always, well stocked with Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Joe van Niekerk a world class back row and any number of worthy replacements with Solly Tyibilika and Jacques Cronjé at the forefront.
A POSSIBLE WORLD CUP BOK SQUAD
(with alternate positions in brackets)
15: Percy Montgomery, Brent Russell (wing, flyhalf)
14: Conrad Jantjes (fullback), Tonderai
Chavhanga
13: Jaque Fourie (wing, fullback), Marius Joubert
12: Jean de Villiers (wing), De Wet Barry, Wayne Julies
11: Bryan Habana
10: André Pretorius, Jaco van der Westhuyzen (fullback)
9: Enrico Januarie, Fourie du Preez
8: Joe van Niekerk, Jacques Cronjé
7: Juan Smith (lock), Pedrie Wannenburg (lock)
6: Schalk Burger, Solly Tyibilika
5: Victor Matfield, Albert van den Berg
4: Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw
3: CJ van der Linde, Eddie Andrews
2: John Smit (prop), Hanyani Shimange
1: Gurthro Steenkamp, Lawrence Sephaka
At first, White's main aim seemed to be to identify a competitive first XV which would re-establish South Africa's battered rugby credentials - based on forward dominance at set-pieces and relentless pressure from the defence - and once again make Australia, New Zealand, England and France approach a Test-match against SA with some trepidation.
The end of season tour, however, showed that the first XV could not fight off the battle fatigue of a long season indefinitely and that more depth was needed.
This season, with respect regained and a Tri-Nations trophy in the cabinet until Saturday, White seems to have broadened his selection horizons. He has tweaked and replaced some members of that first XV with a longer-term plan towards building a squad of around 30 players able to cope with Test-match intensity and challenge for the 2007 World Cup.
White is blessed with a multitude of midfield riches
In that respect, White has succeeded admirably with some risky selections - who, for instance would have thought that Enrico Januarie could have overshadowed one of last season's stand out performers in Fourie du Preez?
André Pretorius's re-emergence, together with Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie as a threequarter line of real power and pace, as well as potentially adding the subtlety and sleight of hand that is needed to unlock top international defences, has been the other major feature of this season's transitions.
White is blessed with a multitude of midfield riches. Should De Villiers and Fourie continue their burgeoning partnership then few teams in the world could lay claim to the calibre of De Wet Barry and last season's Ellis Park hero Marius Joubert as back up centres. Wayne Julies and the under-21 talent of Thabang Molefe are waiting in the wings should injury strike.
John Smit is set to continue as captain and his Tri-Nations performances have taken the heat off him as first choice hooker.
White's problem areas, though, are whether veterans Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse and Os du Randt will have the legs to make the World Cup as they did in 2003, or whether replacements should be blended into the side now.
As backs Montgomery and Paulse should make it, but Du Randt, always seemingly carrying a multitude of knocks, might not. Luckily in Du Randt's case White has a tailor-made replacement in the immensely strong Gurthro Steenkamp.
Montgomery seems set to remain the first choice fullback, not only for his goalkicking prowess but also because, despite his errors in Dunedin, he remains a safer option than Brent Russell. Conrad Jantjes also cannot be ruled out of the No 15 equation.
Although White has backed Paulse's experience, two years in the cold of the French league might see him lose the No 14 jersey, especially since Jantjes can also be effective on the right-wing. With Ashwin Willemse battling long term injuries Tonderai Chavhanga seems to have the inside track as back-up winger, with the blindingly fast Bryan Habana untouchable, and irreplaceable, on the left-wing.
It seems Pretorius and Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Januarie and Du Preez will continue to alternate in the half back spots, with Pretorius' susceptability to injury the major worry. Morné Steyn and Ruan Pienaar seem the brightest young talents able to challenge.
The loose-forward cupboard is, as always, well stocked with Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Joe van Niekerk a world class back row and any number of worthy replacements with Solly Tyibilika and Jacques Cronjé at the forefront.
A POSSIBLE WORLD CUP BOK SQUAD
(with alternate positions in brackets)
15: Percy Montgomery, Brent Russell (wing, flyhalf)
14: Conrad Jantjes (fullback), Tonderai
Chavhanga
13: Jaque Fourie (wing, fullback), Marius Joubert
12: Jean de Villiers (wing), De Wet Barry, Wayne Julies
11: Bryan Habana
10: André Pretorius, Jaco van der Westhuyzen (fullback)
9: Enrico Januarie, Fourie du Preez
8: Joe van Niekerk, Jacques Cronjé
7: Juan Smith (lock), Pedrie Wannenburg (lock)
6: Schalk Burger, Solly Tyibilika
5: Victor Matfield, Albert van den Berg
4: Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw
3: CJ van der Linde, Eddie Andrews
2: John Smit (prop), Hanyani Shimange
1: Gurthro Steenkamp, Lawrence Sephaka