Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has picked what could be a potential Rugby World Cup 2019 backline for Saturday’s encounter against the Barbarians at Wembley.
With so few experienced players available for this match that falls outside of World Rugby’s designated Test window‚ Coetzee had to turn to youngsters and he’s picked an exciting looking back division.
It’s entirely possible that these seven players could be first choices in their positions three years from now.
Flyhalf and captain Pat Lambie is only 26‚ has already amassed 53 Test caps and could conceivably be Test captain and first choice flyhalf in 2019.
Scrumhalf Rudy Paige has a mere five Test caps but is also likely to be the future starting halfback if he continues to progress well.
Fullback Jesse Kriel‚ despite 17 Test caps is only 22 and will start his first senior international match in the No 15 jersey‚ having played the position for the Junior Boks.
Kriel’s pace is a vital ingredient at fullback and his performance at the weekend will be closely scrutinised with an eye to the future as a Test fullback.
Centres Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Francois Venter are both uncapped but at 22 and 25 respectively‚ have the potential to create a formidable midfield combination that would have both power and finesse.
Janse van Rensburg is a brute of a runner who will give the team plenty of momentum on the gainline while Venter is adept at manipulating space through guile and the ability to vary his play.
He’s a good stepper but also a good distributor who likes to allow players to run off him.
Venter is also a great defensive co-ordinator‚ as all top No 13s should be.
Cheetahs coach Franco Smith‚ who is part of the Bok coaching staff on this tour‚ is a big believer in Venter’s ability to guide the backline both in attack and defence.
With that intelligence and good communication in the outside centre channel‚ it will be interesting to see if the Bok defence improves from its recent woes in the Rugby Championship.
Janse van Rensburg‚ despite his power and aggression‚ had some underwhelming tackle stats in Super Rugby more due to his alignment and positioning than ability to tackle.
He missed 14 tackles‚ which ranked in the top 25.
Perhaps Venter’s influence will help that part of his game.
And to round off the exciting backline‚ uncapped wings Jamba Ulengo and Sergeal Petersen are two of the most exciting players in South Africa at the moment.
Petersen is an electric runner owing to having both pace and superb feet while Ulengo doesn’t only have speed and a neat step going for him‚ but size and defensive steel as well.
The prospect of these two young wings being unleashed on the world stage is a salivating one.
It could be the beginning of something special.
Up front Coetzee is also looking at openside Roelof Smit as a potential long-term solution to the problematic position while 22-year-old Bulls lock RG Snyman is another in an impressive line of locks this country has produced recently.
Snyman‚ though‚ is up against Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager for the No 4 jersey and will have to bide his time a little longer.
It’s one of the few happy selection problems Coetzee has.
Coetzee didn’t find space for all the uncapped players on tour.
Fullback Cheslin Kolbe‚ flank Uzair Cassiem and prop Thomas du Toit did not make the final 23 and will head home after the game.
“We rewarded several young players for their performances in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup and we will approach this match as a Test‚ although no caps will be awarded‚” Coetzee said.
“It will be a really big occasion for our young players‚ but we’re excited to be giving them an opportunity.
“Even though some of the experienced players were last in action against New Zealand four weeks ago‚ our preparation the past few weeks was really good.
“The excitement and enthusiasm of the new inclusions is contagious.
“In ideal circumstances I would’ve preferred to give every player in the squad a run‚ but this tour was also about introducing players who are on our radar for the future‚ while also introducing them to the Springbok way and ethos.
“I am sure they will work even harder to stay in the squad.”
South Africa: 15 Jesse Kriel‚ 14 Sergeal Petersen‚ 13 Francois Venter‚ 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg‚ 11 Jamba Ulengo‚ 10 Pat Lambie (captain)‚ 9 Rudy Paige‚ 8 Nizaam Carr‚ 7 Teboho Mohoje‚ 6 Roelof Smit‚ 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ 4 RG Snyman‚ 3 Lourens Adriaanse‚ 2 Malcolm Marx‚ 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi‚ 17 Lizo Gqoboka‚ 18 Trevor Nyakane‚ 19 Eben Etzebeth‚ 20 Jean-Luc du Preez‚ 21 Piet van Zyl‚ 22 Tiaan Schoeman‚ 23 Ruan Combrinck. — TMG Digital
ANALYSIS: Bok backline to face Barbarians is the future
Springbok coach Allister Coetzee has picked what could be a potential Rugby World Cup 2019 backline for Saturday’s encounter against the Barbarians at Wembley.
With so few experienced players available for this match that falls outside of World Rugby’s designated Test window‚ Coetzee had to turn to youngsters and he’s picked an exciting looking back division.
It’s entirely possible that these seven players could be first choices in their positions three years from now.
Flyhalf and captain Pat Lambie is only 26‚ has already amassed 53 Test caps and could conceivably be Test captain and first choice flyhalf in 2019.
Scrumhalf Rudy Paige has a mere five Test caps but is also likely to be the future starting halfback if he continues to progress well.
Fullback Jesse Kriel‚ despite 17 Test caps is only 22 and will start his first senior international match in the No 15 jersey‚ having played the position for the Junior Boks.
Kriel’s pace is a vital ingredient at fullback and his performance at the weekend will be closely scrutinised with an eye to the future as a Test fullback.
Centres Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Francois Venter are both uncapped but at 22 and 25 respectively‚ have the potential to create a formidable midfield combination that would have both power and finesse.
Janse van Rensburg is a brute of a runner who will give the team plenty of momentum on the gainline while Venter is adept at manipulating space through guile and the ability to vary his play.
He’s a good stepper but also a good distributor who likes to allow players to run off him.
Venter is also a great defensive co-ordinator‚ as all top No 13s should be.
Cheetahs coach Franco Smith‚ who is part of the Bok coaching staff on this tour‚ is a big believer in Venter’s ability to guide the backline both in attack and defence.
With that intelligence and good communication in the outside centre channel‚ it will be interesting to see if the Bok defence improves from its recent woes in the Rugby Championship.
Janse van Rensburg‚ despite his power and aggression‚ had some underwhelming tackle stats in Super Rugby more due to his alignment and positioning than ability to tackle.
He missed 14 tackles‚ which ranked in the top 25.
Perhaps Venter’s influence will help that part of his game.
And to round off the exciting backline‚ uncapped wings Jamba Ulengo and Sergeal Petersen are two of the most exciting players in South Africa at the moment.
Petersen is an electric runner owing to having both pace and superb feet while Ulengo doesn’t only have speed and a neat step going for him‚ but size and defensive steel as well.
The prospect of these two young wings being unleashed on the world stage is a salivating one.
It could be the beginning of something special.
Up front Coetzee is also looking at openside Roelof Smit as a potential long-term solution to the problematic position while 22-year-old Bulls lock RG Snyman is another in an impressive line of locks this country has produced recently.
Snyman‚ though‚ is up against Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager for the No 4 jersey and will have to bide his time a little longer.
It’s one of the few happy selection problems Coetzee has.
Coetzee didn’t find space for all the uncapped players on tour.
Fullback Cheslin Kolbe‚ flank Uzair Cassiem and prop Thomas du Toit did not make the final 23 and will head home after the game.
“We rewarded several young players for their performances in Super Rugby and the Currie Cup and we will approach this match as a Test‚ although no caps will be awarded‚” Coetzee said.
“It will be a really big occasion for our young players‚ but we’re excited to be giving them an opportunity.
“Even though some of the experienced players were last in action against New Zealand four weeks ago‚ our preparation the past few weeks was really good.
“The excitement and enthusiasm of the new inclusions is contagious.
“In ideal circumstances I would’ve preferred to give every player in the squad a run‚ but this tour was also about introducing players who are on our radar for the future‚ while also introducing them to the Springbok way and ethos.
“I am sure they will work even harder to stay in the squad.”
South Africa: 15 Jesse Kriel‚ 14 Sergeal Petersen‚ 13 Francois Venter‚ 12 Rohan Janse van Rensburg‚ 11 Jamba Ulengo‚ 10 Pat Lambie (captain)‚ 9 Rudy Paige‚ 8 Nizaam Carr‚ 7 Teboho Mohoje‚ 6 Roelof Smit‚ 5 Pieter-Steph du Toit‚ 4 RG Snyman‚ 3 Lourens Adriaanse‚ 2 Malcolm Marx‚ 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi‚ 17 Lizo Gqoboka‚ 18 Trevor Nyakane‚ 19 Eben Etzebeth‚ 20 Jean-Luc du Preez‚ 21 Piet van Zyl‚ 22 Tiaan Schoeman‚ 23 Ruan Combrinck. — TMG Digital
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