Quintin van Jaarsveld identifies five Springbok players who’ll be in the spotlight in the fourth and final Test of the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks in Baltimore on Saturday.
Morne van den Berg
After the blinder he had off the bench last weekend, Van Der Berg effectively forced Rassie Erasmus to start him in the series decider.
As Erasmus noted: “Morne made a fantastic impact when he took the field last week, and he deserves a chance to start, so Cobus [Reinach] switches to the bench where he will add experience and skill in this vital match.”
The 28-year-old made it onto our Best Bok podium with his defensive brilliance and top-class kicking and now gets a chance to drive the team. He’s only started in four of his nine Tests and last donned the Green and Gold No. 9 jersey in the 73-0 walloping of Wales in Cardiff last November.
He’ll be eager to prove he’s as capable of steering the ship as a starter as he is as an impact player off the pine.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Manie Libbok
Libbok is the unluckiest player to miss out on a place in the starting line-up after playing a pivotal role in last weekend’s 29-24 win. He’s known for his attacking prowess – his speed, fleet-footedness, superlative passing and pinpoint crosskicks – but in the Calabash cauldron he showed his maturity.
Entering the fray in the 10th minute after Cheslin Kolbe suffered a broken jaw, he took over at flyhalf with Feinberg-Mngomezulu moving to fullback and brought composure and control to the Boks when the heat was at its peak. It also helped Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who hasn’t been at his best since returning from injury.
So, why stick with Feinberg-Mngomezulu at 10? Erasmus explained: “The game is different in the last 30 minutes when everybody is a bit more tired … forwards are a bit more heavy-footed and struggle to fill the gaps.
“Apart from the skill that Sacha has, he’s a really good defender, and normally one of the big things that the All Blacks try and get [is attack]. Manie definitely did really well for us [last week]. But with Sacha, there are some areas where he’s not 100% hit his straps for us yet.
“But we must remember he was out for a very long time, and it’s only his fourth game back. Manie, we feel he can come on after five minutes if Sacha gets injured, and we know he can handle the pressure, but we might need him later in the game like we did last weekend.”
The Bok coach added: “When the All Blacks make a line break, they put all of their speed into it … they certainly can cut us apart and finish some awesome tries, like they have been. There’s not a defence system which I think they will not breach with the way they’re playing, and then the scramble defence becomes really important.
“When you have young, energetic guys like Sacha … those kinds of guys in your team that helps a lot because they bring the energy and the speed. But the older guys bring calmness too. That combination is really important.”
Damian Willemse
Willemse makes a timely return from injury to reclaim the No. 15 jersey and replace the injured Kolbe. “Gaza” has been outstanding this season, particularly under the high ball, where he is currently without peer.
Erasmus was happy to have the 54-cap veteran back, saying, “Damian started the first two Tests and had it not been for a niggle last week, he would have also started that match, so it’s good to have him back.
“He is a quality player, and he knows the guys around him very well, so it will simply be a matter of him picking up where he left off before last week.”
Cameron Hanekom
Hanekom was the Man of the Match in the Boks’ last Test before the series against Los Pumas in Buenos Aires, where he scored his first Test try to help the double world champions to a 17-10 win.
He missed the opening Test of the series at Ellis Park but featured as an impact player in Tests two and three. Facing the All Blacks for the first time in Cape Town, he brought energy, athleticism and added breakdown skills, and doubled down at FNB Stadium last weekend.
He’ll likely get more time to shine this weekend, with starting eighthman Jasper Wiese having put in plenty of hard yards, so look to the young gun to go off at M&T Bank Stadium.
Quintin van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 20 years of experience.
