Bok front row balancing act
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The Springbok front row resources will have to be managed carefully to get the best out of them according to Gurthrö Steenkamp.
The emergence of inexperienced Stormers props Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe and Vincent Koch and the versatile Trevor Nyakane has caused many people to doubt the claims of Sharks and Springbok veterans Tendai Mtawarira and Jannie du Plessis to a starting spot.
This is a pleasant issue to have, as little over a year ago there was a serious dearth of options to back up the 'old firm', which made the threat of injury to the aging duo who both featured in the Springboks 2007 World Cup victory particularly stressful to coach Heyneke Meyer.
Steenkamp will go up against his old teammates Mtawarira and Du Plessis when he runs out for the World XV at Newlands on Saturday, and while he believes their experience makes them the preferrable starting combination, he also noted how important it will be to give the young blood some exposure at the highest level ahead of the World Cup.
"I think it is important to get the young guys on the field and slowly but surely giving them 20 minutes, 30 minutes and eventually when the coach feels the time is right give the guys a start," he said.
The other benefit of this will be that it puts some extra pressure on the established players, which Steenkamp says has not always been the case in the past.
"That keeps the experienced guys on their toes so they don't get into a comfort zone.
"I think for the Springboks in the past at times those who have been regular starters have become a bit lax so it is always good to have young guys keeping them on their toes to force them to up their game a bit," he explained.
This will have to be managed very carefully to get the most out of all of the players, especially as the young props in the current squad represent the future and it would not be wise to destroy their confidence by throwing them in the deep end straight away.
"I think it is important to show confidence in these players, be patient with them and give them all the tools they need to be the best.
"I think in South African rugby now we are at a crossroads where a lot of experienced players are going to start finishing up, and it is important to give the young guys confidence and keep building them instead of breaking them down to ensure that we have a bright future," he said.
Steenkamp added that the key for the young players looking to make their mark will be to deal with the inevitable setbacks they will face when trying to make their mark at Test level.
"That is rugby, you are going to make mistakes, you are going to learn things the hard way, you are sometimes going to have your head handed to you on a plate and humiliated. That is part of life and those are the types of things that make you a better player.
"You can go through all the players, they have all had experiences like that and at the end of the day you have a choice, you can either sulk about it and hang up your boots or you can fight back," he said.
Steenkamp said that the decision to retire from international rugby was not an easy one, especially as he feels he could have played at the World Cup, but was made with his family and prospects after rugby in France in mind.
"It is a tough decision it is not easy, I am sure I would have been a part of the World Cup squad but at the end of the day I had to make a decision for my family, for the moment now my life is in France and I want to concentrate on that.
"Will I be emotional and sentimental when I watch the World Cup on the telly? It will be hard, there will always be a part of me that wants to be there and wants to be a Springbok.
"For the moment I am going to go to the school of business in Toulouse, because we have got a few opportunities there which is part of the decision why I decided to stay. I have two or three years left in France and there are a lot of companies that are willing to help me afterwards," he said.
By Michael de Vries
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