Springbok rugby's new dawn

rugby365 columnist Robbie Fleck looks ahead to this weekend’s first Test between the Springboks and Wales at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein.

After a superb ending to the 2008 Super 14 – with the Crusaders picking up yet another Super Rugby title – there is plenty of excitement ahead of South Africa’s first Test of the year against Wales on Saturday.

There is always plenty of excitement at the start of a new Test season, but there is extra anticipation in the air as it’s Peter de Villiers’s first Test in charge of the Springboks – there is change aplenty afoot and I like it.

We won the Rugby World Cup with a conservative gameplan based on defence without revealing too much on attack. Jake knew that defence would win the day, Eddie Jones helped with a few plays and they kicked the ball and tackled like hell!

Now, we have a guy in Peter de Villiers who is looking to do the opposite – he wants free-spirited players to play an attacking game.

Personally, I couldn’t be happier.

I remember growing up watching the 1981 Springboks against the Cavaliers, when Doctor Cecil Moss gave the likes of Danie Gerber, the Du Plessis’, Johan Heunis, Naas Botha and Errol Tobias free reign to play it the way they wanted. We saw some amazing rugby back then and, now, some 20-odd years later we have our very own Doc Moss in Peter de Villiers.

De Villiers has spoken of a new brand of Springbok rugby, he wants to change the way of thinking of our top players. It won’t be easy and he is opening himself up to plenty of criticism – as if he’s not had enough already? – but I just hope he continues to practice what he preaches, no matter what.

We can’t have De Villiers losing a few Tests and then abandoning what he believes in. He has the opportunity to change the face of Springbok rugby, he must take it…

Nick Mallett and Harry Viljoen both attempted to play a new brand of rugby – in Harry’s first Test we were told not to kick the ball, eventually we had to after 70 minutes, after nearly blowing our gasket! – but both of them abandoned their approaches after a few losses. Coaches before Mallett and Viljoen did the same, to a degree, only to slip back into that typical South African lager mentality when the going got tough.

In order to achieve this massive, yet exciting change in Springbok rugby, De Villiers needs his players to buy into this new approach and change their mindsets – that will be his greatest challenge.

Fortunately, De Villiers did a wise thing by bringing back John Smit, Victor Matfield, Butch James and Percy Montgomery from Europe. I’ve said this on countless occasions before, but those guys don’t even have to play, just having them around will do wonders for this squad – and the coach.

Victor might come from a conservative background, but he is a free-spirited player and the best line-out forward in the world as a result. Butch is a man unto himself, he doesn’t conform to anything on the pitch – you need those guys, along with players like Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers to take the lead at a time like this.

Of course, John Smit is probably the most important figure in De Villiers’s plans. His leadership will be crucial. Don’t, however, under-estimate Butch’s value – he will be integral to Peter de Villiers this season. Peter Grant is not quite ready for Test match rugby, but Butch was a key man at the World Cup and he has just come off a fine season for Bath where he was the best flyhalf in the English Premiership.

To complicate things, Wales won’t make it easy for the Boks this Saturday or the next – they are the Six Nations champions and they have probably the best coach in the world, in Warren Gatland, at their disposal.

The Welsh will be well-prepared for both Tests and that will create doubt in the Springbok players’ minds – and, if the Boks find themselves under any pressure during these two Tests, they might find themselves going into their shells. But they must back themselves, and their new game, throughout – that is the only way they will learn to play this more exciting brand of rugby.

It won’t be easy, but nobody ever said it would be.

If this week’s press reports are to be believed, it seems the Boks will be going into the first Test without Frans Steyn, which is a huge pity. I am a massive Steyn supporter and they will miss him – on attack and defence, as they will also miss the injured Jaque Fourie.

I am actually a fan of Adrian Jacobs. I know Adi and have been in the Bok side with him; he is a huge threat on attack and on his day he can rip most teams to shreds. However, on his day, he can also miss a huge amount of tackles and the Welsh midfield of Sonny Parker and Tom Shanklin – both of whom are hard-running and physical players – will target him on the inside and outside of his shoulders.

Jean, too, is not the strongest defender and that’s why I would have started with Steyn at 12 and De Villiers at 13, giving the midfield a bit more solidity from the start, before unleashing Jacobs on a tiring Wales defence.

The Boks look to have the stronger pack, a better line-out, better loose forwards and halfbacks, not to mention a more potent back three, but Wales will attack them at centre – where they are strong.

Without Martyn Williams the Welsh loose forwards are not as potent, whilst they will miss first-choice No.9s Mike Phillips and Dwayne Peel, both of whom are injured.

Shane Williams is obviously a threat too, especially on the harder, quicker pitches up country, but the Boks know what he can do and he could be in some trouble himself if forced to defend against Bryan Habana or Tonderai Chavhanga in full flight.

Fleckie’s prediction: I can’t see the Boks losing this one…

Enjoy the first Test,
Robbie Fleck

* Email Fleckie at rugby365@365digital.co.za with any comments.

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