Plumbing the depths of SA rugby

With the Springboks in the throws of a very disappointing season, David Morris beseeches South Africa's selectors to open their eyes to alternatives...

I am at a loss to provide any insight as far as the political interference is concerned, I'll leave that up to the head honchos of SARU and the South African government to debate. How many of us can really be bothered?
 
What I can do, however, is offer my two pennies worth on matters on the field.
 
The New Zealand team seem to have it figured out how to run affairs on the paddock. Kiwi coach Graham Henry has been spoiled for selection as even been able to rotate his star-studded squad.
 
A strong starting XV will take the field the one day, and a completely different squad the next, yet they would walk off winners on both occasions.
 
So, the big question is: who can South Africa count on to fill the boots of the national team when push comes to shove?
 
Let's start up front where the big boys of South African rugby try to keep their reputations intact as a respected front-row.
 
Os du Randt and CJ van der Linde are the current first-choice props in the Bok line-up. The two Free State farmers are definitely no push-overs when it comes to scrumming down against any top rugby side in the world.
 
Or are they?

PROPS

Du Randt has been an inspiring performer to the game and it is hard to criticise the World Cup veteran. But good things must come to an end, and his age will be the result of this.

He will definitely take his final bow at the end of the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France and the crowd will miss shouting "Os!" every time the prop gets the ball or puts in a monster tackle.

Van der Linde has had a torrid time of late, not holding his own in the scrum and giving away a number of silly penalties at crucial times.
 
The first sign of this was in the one-off Test against France in Cape Town earlier this year where loyal Springbok fans were forced to witnessing a French slaughter of one of their beloved giants.
 
And as far as the penalty count is concerned, one just has to look at the bizarre decision he made by collapsing the scrum on his own feed right on the Wallaby tryline during the record 49-0 Tri-Nations thumping. It was one of the Boks' very few chances of getting any points on the board.

Another regular starter is Eddie Andrews, who has not shown any encouraging signs of being a force to be reckoned with on the world scene of late - or, indeed, ever.
 
Elsewhere, Saracens prop Cobus Visagie has put his hand up time and time again, announcing his availability to the White management. The former Bok prop has the experience and skill to fit right in and keep the front-row alive. Indeed, Visagie would have completed my front row had he put in better performances at loosehead in the past.
 
Guthro Steenkamp is still on the mend, Lawrence Sephaka has proven he can get the job done but needs regular starts for the Lions while Pat Barnard has been disregarded by Bok coach Jake White and lost to the English.

Cheetahs prop Wiaan du Preez is another talent in the making, although he is currently CJ van der Linde's understudy - which makes me think twice about including the youngster.
 
Then there is Lions cub Heinke van der Merwe who making a healthy habit of ensuring his opposite numbers remember they have been in the wars after scrumming down against him.
 
White's other option: How about BJ Botha of the Sharks? He has put in extraordinary performances for his province in Currie Cup and Super 14 matches. He is a big mobile prop that is not afraid to take the ball up forward. He also has blistering pace for his size. Danie Saayman is the key man in the Sharks front row and has all the qualities to rough it up with the best in the world. When told that Kiwi prop Kees Meeuws set a personal best by bench-pressing 175kg, Saayman promptly went and did 200kgs! Need we say more? He's not shy of scoring tries either.

HOOKER
 
This position has long been a hot topic of debate for the South Africa public.
 
Current hooker and skipper John Smit has received 50/50 acceptance into the Bok team by his country's public.
 
Whilst some applauded his ability as a captain, others question his performance as a player in this position.

Of course, should the young captain take the team and his country to a World Cup victory, he will be hailed as a hero - just like the man who hoisted the Webb Ellis Trophy back in 1995, Francois Pienaar.
 
There have been many back-up hookers eyeing up the No.2 jersey, but few have been given a fair crack of the whip.
 
Bulls star Gary Botha has been used as a part-time Bok replacement, as has Western Province player Hanyani  Shimange. Both have since been dropped from the squad with the latter struggling to find a place in his provincial team. Overseas player Danie Coetzee was a waste of a plane ticket and Chilliboy Ralepelle is yet to be capped at senior level.
 
White's other option: Schalk Brits has put in enough impressive performances in the past two seasons to get my vote as a replacement option for any hooker in any team on the planet. His mobility and ability to make an impact on any game he plays must make him worthy of consideration.

LOCKS
 
Springbok rugby has always been blessed with an abundance of quality locks, and the Bulls and Bok lock pairing of Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha has arguably been praised as the world's best.
 
But what happens when you lose one of the world's best to injury, like the Boks have lost Botha, or even worse - both?
 
Johann Muller had a decent outing against Australia and New Zealand in his previous Tri-Nations games to suggest he is a safe enough bet to cover for Botha in his absence. But who will cover Muller?
 
Shark's veteran Albert van den Berg has not played to his best abilities for the Boks in the past or present since the Rugby World Cup of 1999.
 
Former Springbok lock Johann Ackerman has shown that he still means business for his fans at the Shark Tank - but an injury has seen him side-lined for the past couple of months.
 
Wallaby lock Dan Vickerman was a crucial loss to the South African talent, and Greg Rawlinson has decided to play for New Zealand instead.
 
Meanwhile, Stormers duo Ross Skeate and Andries Bekker were very impressive in the Super 14, with the latter getting an invite to a Bok training camp. 
 
White's other options: Sharks lock Johann Muller always remains an option, while Bulls star Danie Rossouw has proved his worth for the Boks in the tight five, but has also been up and down with injury.

BACK ROW

South Africa's loose forwards have always been blessed with size, speed and agility, which makes these choices the easiest of the lot.

The whole of Africa mourned the news that their golden boy Schalk Burger would be out of rugby indefinitely with a serious neck injury, but White's isn't short of quality replacements.
 
Regular Bok starter Juan Smith has remained consistent with every performance in the green and gold jersey, while big Joe van Niekerk is finding his feet again with every game for his country.
 
Solly Tyibilika was a shock announcement to the team to take the place of the injured Burger, but has held his head up.
 
Jacques Cronje currently holds the No.8 spot by dint of appearing in the last two Tests for his country, but I am still not convinced that the bulky No.8 can match Big Joe's presence against the best in the world.
 
So who could knock these current stars off their starting blocks?

Sharks skipper AJ Venter is a tried and proven talent for the Boks at lock, flank and No.8. He has plenty of experience on his side and is leading the Sharks on a very successful Currie Cup campaign.
 
Pedrie Wannenburg was tried and tested for the Boks against the French, but again came out short. He still continues to pull out big games for his provincial side - the Blue Bulls.
 
South Africa's Under-21 sensation Pierre Spies took a big step into the Bok frame far too quickly, and it showed in his 49-0 debut defeat to the Wallabies. Though I wouldn't rule this big lad out for a quality future of rugby ahead.
 
Bulls flank Tim Dullane has notched up several man-of-the-match awards for his robust performances week in and week out for his Pretoria side. He plays with a hell of a passion and has quickly become a respected and talented player. It's a crying shame that he, too, has been sidelined with a career-threatening neck injury.
 
Jacques Botes deserves a mention through countless worthy displays for the Sharks, while Lions captain Wikus van Heerden is another player that continues to put his body on the line for his side, but captain courageous just hasn't got the extra Bok grade.
 
White's other options: How many times have you heard the name 'Luke Watson' this season? You could inadvertently utter his name in your sleep, so often has it flashed past the eyes in columns in recent times. The Western Province skipper has not only steered his provincial side back to winning ways, he has got the whole nation believing he can do the same for his country. He can.
 
And so can Kabamba Floors. This small, strong, pacy flank has come on leaps and bounds with his Free State colleagues. He has become an integral part of the Currie Cup champions and continues to lead the way as one of South Africa's stars in the making.
 
SCRUM-HALF
 
Fourie du Preez started off the season blowing hot and cold for the Boks, but he is slowly getting the form back that earned him the number one spot at scrum-half.
 
But there is always a reserve scrum-half in waiting - and currently that is Enrico Januarie. I was a huge fan of this feisty player from Johannesburg, but he has definitely lost form and needs to go back to the drawing board and find it again.
 
Neil de Kock has packed his bags and headed in search of the English pound, joining Visagie at Vicarage Road.
 
Bolla Conradie has become a household name, but sometimes needs to play more with the ball than his mouth.
 
White's other option: Sharks scrum-half Ruan Pienaar is a natural talent and star in the making, it is only a matter of time (one hopes) before we see him in the mix.

FLY-HALF
 
The most pressurised position on the field, a position that has been a common problem in South Africa rugby for years.
 
It's quite hard to say who in fact could call the pivotal position their own due to so many changes in recent Tests.
 
At the moment, Butch James is the current Springbok in the No.10 jersey - again. He has shown a lot of promise in the two Test matches he has played so far in the Tri-Nations, and could be the answer to the fly-half dilemma - as long as he remembers more arms, less shoulder in the tackle.
 
So who will back up Butch?
 
It's official that Jaco van der Westhuyzen has had one too many error-ridden performances to keep a place in the Bok squad.
 
The young Cheetahs flyer Meyer Bosman has not had much game time to render himself worthy of the top spot and should prove himself more with his province instead.
 
Derick Hougaard was an utter flop at RWC 2003 but should not be forgotten as he is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with again when his Blue Bulls coach allows him to take the field.
 
White's other option: If you can't call Henry Honiball out of retirement, you might as well settle for Andre Pretorius. The Lions pivot has nerves of steel and a boot that can swing a game to his team's favour. Lacks some pace, but that's what why rugby teams field wingers. Let's hope he stays injury free.

CENTRE
 
South Africa's midfield combination has chopped and changed so often that Springbok centres are said to need to be introduced to each other shortly before kick-off.
 
With Jean de Villiers out through injury, the green No.12 jersey is currently in the possession of Wynand Olivier, and the Bulls star has certainly stepped up to the plate.
 
Outside of him, you will find Jacques Fourie of the Lions who is slowly notching up a host of Bok appearances and Test tries.
 
So who can Jake White look to as sufficient back-up to the midfield should he require it?
 
De Villiers is said to have returned to match fitness, but we must look beyond the Province star as 'Injury' seems to be his middle name.
 
Wynand Olivier came, saw and conquered whilst De Villiers was out with a rib injury.  The Bulls centre had the highest tackle-count against New Zealand in Wellington and must stand up and take a bow for his efforts.
 
Bok veteran De Wet Barry must have had the worst games of his life when given a second chance against France earlier this year. I don't see him coming back anytime soon, unless he can make a few incy-wincy changes to his predictable style of play. Crash ball, crash ball, crash ball is not quite sophisticated enough for the modern game.
 
His partner in crime, Marius Joubert, is also on the injury list and reports suggest it could be a lot longer until we hear from the Province pin-up.
 
Lions and Cats centre Wayne Julies seems to find his name in the Bok squad time and time again. For once I would like this player to show me exactly why he is rated so highly amongst the selectors. Just once.
 
Province playmaker Peter Grant should count himself unlucky to injury as he was on a good run since switching from fly-half to centre.
 
Bulls powerhouse JP Nel has the strength but not the flair, whilst his late buddy Etienne Botha would have been a shoe-in if he was alive today.
 
White's other options: Trevor Halstead has been phenomenal for Irish club Munster ever since he left South African shores. He scored a winning try in the 2006 Heineken Cup Final and has a strong 100kg frame to go with his quick acceleration. He is no stranger to the Bok set-up, playing at inside centre for his country during Rudolf Straeuli's reign as South Africa's coach.
 
Exciting Sharks playmaker, Bradley Barritt is a suitable candidate as a potential back-up at outside centre with his blistering pace into small spaces to set up open try-lines for his wings. Even though he is still very young, he reminds me of Robbie Fleck in his heyday.

WING
 
Another position of strength within South African rugby, with the current slots reserved for Bryan Habana and Akona Ndungane.
 
Habana was an absolute revelation during his first season of Test rugby, but young Bulls speedster has struggled with niggling injuries and a lack of confidence with ball in hand.
 
Ndungane on the other hand finally got his big break in this tournament and looks set to make the No.14 jersey his own for as long as he can.
 
With the amount of talent the country has at its disposal, it will be hard to keep other speedsters knocking on Jake White's door.
 
Gaffie du Toit on the other hand has fallen through a trapdoor instead. He was given another chance to impress, but failed to find inject fire into any of his cylinders.
 
Even old-timer Andre Snyman was rolled out and tested, only to be rolled away once again.
 
Sharks winger JP Pietersen has shown some class out wide and at fullback - work that earned him a Bok call-up. But nobody has seen him since.
 
Crowd favourite Breyton Paulse has back-flipped himself out of contention with some mediocre performances for the team, and seems to have lost a lot of pace. His latest hairstyle could be slowing him down.
 
White's other options: Say hello to pocket-rocket Brent Russell. The nippy Sharks player has shown what he can do for province and country by turning a game on its feet. Every time he gets the ball, you hold your breath for something exiting to happen. I think Jake White has been holding his breath far too long and needs to release this try-scoring time-bomb into the wild Springbok open.
 
Odwa Ndungane is Akona's twin brother - not that you'd have any trouble spotting that yourself. Apart from their identical facial features, the wingers play exactly the same game and both have a knack for scoring tries. If one twin brother with the same skills and pace can play for the national side, why can't the other?

FULLBACK
 
Last but certainly not least, the infamous fullback position that has been filled by so many legends down the years for South Africa.
 
Percy Montgomery is fast becoming a legend in his own right. He has smashed the Springbok points record previously held by the great Naas Botha and continues to rack up honours, tries and appearances.
 
But the blond bombshell will soon turn grey and it's only a matter of time before someone wrenches the fullback berth away from him.
 
Cheetahs pivot-cum-fullback Willem de Waal has been spoken of by White as an option in his future plans. Yes, the man can kick the ball - but that's all he can do, and unless White wants to turn back the clock 20 years, it's probably best to leave him out of the equation for now.
 
Bulls star Johan Roets should probably have got a look-in a few seasons ago as he has been solid for the Loftus faithful for years. But Roets is weighed down with the scars and scrapes of past campaigns and looks to be past his prime.
 
Then there is Gio 'blink-and-you'll-miss-me' Aplon of Western Province. This nippy newcomer has shown that size doesn't matter and has torn up many a defensive systems in the 2006 Currie Cup. Some wrong options have let him down, but he is definitely one to look out for when he matures.
 
And Earl Rose deserves a mention as he has taken his play to a whole new level after leaving the city of Good Hope for the city of Golden Lions.
 
White's other option: In the end, Jaco van der Westhuyzen gets the nod after a long and hard think. The Bok has had poor performances for his country at fly-half but remember that he was originally picked for his country at fullback. He was one of the stand-out players in the forgettable campaign and has come out with top notch performances when he played there for the Bulls towards the end of the Super 14. Plus you cannot disregard experience, I'm sure he has learnt from his mistakes.