‘Good depth’ allows Boks to take on All Blacks with fresh combinations

The Springboks have named a couple of fresh combinations in their side to take on the All Blacks in their second match of the Rugby Championship at the Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland on Saturday.

Flyhalf Damian Willemse and scrumhalf Faf de Klerk will be linking up as the halfback combination, while an interesting loose trio sees Jasper Wiese at eighthman, with Franco Mostert and Kwagga Smith on the sides of the scrum.

Willemse and De Klerk are not strangers and featured together on a few occasions last season and will be eager to continue their budding partnership, while they will be backed up by Manie Libbok, who will play off the bench after a strong showing against the Wallabies.

‘Good depth’

“We have some good depth with our halfbacks. You saw this past weekend we had an experienced guy in Cobus (Reinach at nine), and it was Manie’s first start for us. I thought Manie did well in terms of driving the team forward and making good decisions,” explained Bok coach Jacques Nienaber.

“It’s the same thing with Damian and Faf. They are a good combination who have played together before.

“We will see different pictures from New Zealand than what we saw from Australia. So what we need from our nine and 10 is for them to make good decisions and we also need to make sure that our pack is going forward.”

Kicker

It will be interesting to see who will be handed the kicking duties for the weekend’s clash as Willemse is not the first choice kicker at the Stormers and last year De Klerk and wing Cheslin Kolbe seemed to be preferred ahead of him.

“On the end-of-year-tour we had a number of kickers available. Cheslin, Damian and Faf all kicked for poles so we have a number of options and between them they will probably make a decision,” said Nienaber.

“We are measuring their training, their kicks at poles and who’s in good form and rhythm. Between them and Stokke (backline coach Mzwandile Stick) they will make a good decision on who will be first choice kicker (for the match).”

In terms of the loose trio, Nienaber is confident that they will be able to put in a strong showing, especially having the experience of Pieter-Steph du Toit and Duane Vermeulen to back them up on the bench.

“It’s not exactly a trio we haven’t combined. Franco Mostert played the majority of 2021 at blindside for us and Kwagga has played a lot of games for us,” said Nienaber.

“I think it’s an exciting loose trio. Some guys had an opportunity against Australia and these guys get their opportunity now. So I am looking forward to see how they will perform.”