The battle for Springbok fullback jersey intensifies
SOCIAL SPOTLIGHT: The Stormers and the Sharks latest draw in the United Rugby Championship put on show some of the most talented fullbacks in South Africa, with Aphelele Fassi going head-to-head with Damian Willemse.
Not to be forgotten, former Bulls fullback Warrick Gelant also had a massive say in the match coming on as a reserve back for his new team the Stormers.
Capped by the Springboks last year, Fassi combined with Makazole Mapimpi for a brilliantly worked try that had fans predicting the pair could be selected in the same positions for the Springboks.
The 24-year-old Sharks fullback set-up the try-scoring machine with a brilliant piece of skill, taking a pass under pressure before threading a perfectly placed grubber kick in for Mapimpi to grab.
The Sharks already possess the Springboks centre-wing combination of Luhkanyo Am and Mampimpi, so adding Fassi into the mix would only strengthen the combinations they have with their domestic club.
One fan explained that ‘nothing at all’ would justify not having Fassi together with Mapimpi in green and gold, while another compared the young Sharks fullback to former Springbok JP Pieterson.
That Fassi and Mapimpi combo 🔥🔥🚀
— Oyama Sithole (@Oyama_iDyan) January 29, 2022
Nothing nothing and nothing at all will justify not having @aphelele_fassi and @Makazole16 together for the @Springboks @RassieRugby @SharksRugby
— shaun marais (@macrais) January 29, 2022
Even as a Stormers supporter, I love this play by the Sharks backline. Imagine if @aphelele_fassi had been given more game time last year. Let’s hope they are taking note now. #Rugby #stormers #sharks
— Sean Willard (@seanwillard) January 29, 2022
Aphelele Fassi reminds me of a young @jppietersen14 in the 2007 season. Each time he touched the ball he set the game alight while playing at 15. Some memorable moments at the Shark tank. #SSRugby #Sharks #URC
— Prashant 🇿🇦 (@prashd14) January 29, 2022
Not to be outdone by the Sharks duo, the Stormers hit back when their pair of fullbacks combined down the right edge from a set-piece scrum in the second-half.
Gelant expertly bounced to the outside to draw in Mapimpi before putting starting fullback Willemse down the touchline.
Willemse showed excellent poise to stay in the field of play and score in the corner to shock the Sharks.
Massive Mapimpi fan, but for the first time in a long while he looked human.
Big defensive mistake lead to Willemse try and he was flustered after that.
That been said, the #springbok depth at the moment is incredible.#URC— Tinus le Roux (@tinusleroux) January 29, 2022
I don’t care what anyone says Warrick Gelant is ahead of Aphelele Fassi overall . The guy the most complete fullback in the country
— Tebogo Teebee (@wa_bakwena) January 29, 2022
It’s time for the Stormers to make the Damian Willemse move to 12 and Gelant at 15.
— Leon Swart (@LeonSwart9) January 29, 2022
It was again Gelant who came up with the match-defining play, this time doing the same move on Aphelele Fassi who gave away a penalty try by slapping down the offload from the Stormers’ supersub.
Fassi’s indiscretion allowed the Stormers to take seven points to tie the match at 22-all with time on the clock.
The game was a showcase of all the potential talent at the Springboks disposal in the backfield.
While Fassi debuted against Georgia last year, he was unable to get any other game time with the national side. Willemse struggled to get starts despite being in the Springboks squad for all of 2021.
He managed two starts, one against Argentina and was unlucky to be injured early in Cardiff against Wales in his other.
26-year-old Gelant hasn’t played for the Springboks since the pool stages of the 2019 World Cup against Canada.
Willie le Roux and Frans Steyn have been the preferred options for the Springboks and one of the storylines for 2022 will be whether any of the aging veterans can be surpassed by the young talents vying for more international game time.
