Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has backed Frans Steyn for their Test in Durban against Argentina. Picture: Deryck Foster, BackpagePix
Durban – Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber says he had no qualms about picking Frans Steyn at flyhalf for Saturday’s Rugby Championship finale against the Pumas at Kings Park, because Steyn and Damian Willemse are cut from the same cloth, in the coach’s book.
The 35-year-old coolly closed out the Boks’ 36-20 win over the Pumas last week after the in-form Willemse left the field with a concussion, and instead of looking outside the squad for a replacement flyhalf, Nienaber has elected to let Steyn pick up in Durban where he left off in Buenos Aires.
“Frans Steyn is Damian Willemse, just with 70 caps more and 10 more years experience,” Nienaber said in Durban yesterday after mostly opting for consistency in selection from last week’s team to this one.
There is just the forced change at flyhalf among the backs, while up front, there is a notable change at blindside flank, where Pieter-Steph du Toit is recalled for Franco Mostert.
In changes amongst the replacements, hooker Bongi Mbonambi is back from a knee injury and Kurt-Lee Arendse returns to the match-day squad after completion of his suspension for a dangerous tackle last month.
“To us, Frans is just an older version of Damian. They are both versatile utility backs, and Damian ended up at flyhalf because of various circumstances. And now Frans has got there by a similar route,” Nienaber explained.
“Frans is hugely experienced and he knows Kings Park very well from his time there with the Sharks – plus he has played quite a bit at flyhalf for the Cheetahs in the Currie Cup.
“Also, he has run at flyhalf many times in our training sessions, as has Faf de Klerk (who will cover flyhalf and scrumhalf from the bench).”
Nienaber was asked if he had considered recalling Elton Jantjies to solve the No.10 crisis, and he said it would have been “unfair” to put the 32-year-old under pressure.
“It would have been nice to pick Elton, but mental health is a big thing,” Nienaber said.
“There would have been too much external pressure on him, and from a perspective of humanity, it would have been unfair to bring him back.
“Elton would have been under too much pressure, and with us, the human side comes first.”
Nienaber reiterated his disappointment at the external pressure that was put on the Boks last Saturday when rumours of alleged recreational drug use amongst some of the players surfaced.
As it turned out, the Boks pulled together and delivered a great performance to beat the Pumas but Nienaber said that the drama that unfolded just hours before kickoff was “irritating”.
“Look, the rugby pressure is nice, that is what you want. But the other pressure is disappointing, because we know the truth,” the coach said.
“We put out a statement with the truth in it. If there is stuff we can comment on about off-the-field things, we will do so – we have nothing to hide.
“But the (white) noise is almost irritating. One never wants that type of pressure on your team because it has nothing to do with rugby, but we like the rugby pressure.
“We like it the fact that this Saturday is a final, and all four teams are in it to win it.”
Springbok starting XV: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Canan Moodie, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Frans Steyn, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (capt), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx 1, Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Franco Mostert, 20 Duane Vermeulen, 21 Kwagga Smith, 22 Faf de Klerk, 23 Kurt-Lee Arendse.