VIDEO: Why Siya can solve the Boks' Duane conundrum
The retirement of Duane Vermeulen has left Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus with an interesting poser at No.8.
Who is best suited to fill the role of a bruising, hard-working loose forward?
The double World Cup-winning Springbok great, Vermeulen, made his Test debut only at age 26, but was 37 when he played his 76th and final international in the 12-11 win over New Zealand in the World Cup Final at Stade de France in Paris last October.
In the 13 Tests this year Erasmus trialled several players at the back of the scrum.
Evan Roos and Elrigh Louw both got two starts, with Kwagga Smith playing three times at No.8
Jasper Wiese had the most game time – six starts.
Erasmus may well know who his preferred choice is and the numbers suggest Wiese may be it.
However, the Sharks have given him a ‘new’ alternative – moving Springbok captain Siya Kolisi from the openside flank to No.8 in their most recent matches.
In last week’s Champions Cup opener against Exeter Chiefs – a 39-21 win in Durban – Kolisi impressed as eighthman.
Kolisi had five carries, for 70-odd metres, a match-high three linebreaks, eight tackles and the most impressive stat of all – the two dominant tackles he made.
The Boks Office crew – Hanyani Shimange and the Springbok duo Schalk Burger and Jean De Villiers – in their season-ending podcast suggested the Boks may just have an answer to the Vermeulen conundrum.
Burger said No.8 is a position that suits a player who is ‘getting on in years’.
It may even extend his career.
“[Siya is going] so nicely,” Burger said of the 33-year-old Bok skipper’s performance at No.8.
“[At eighthman] you don’t work as hard. You can pick your battles – in and out.
“You save the engine. You are not revving it into the red all the time.
“At openside flank [No.6] you have to [go full tilt all the time].
“Siya is one of those players – there are not a lot of them – the older you get, the better the skill sets become and he looks beautiful in open play and it looks nice to see.”
@rugby365com
* Picture credit: Steve Haag Sport
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