Moodie magic adds intrigue to Springbok wing conundrum

The brilliant performances of young Springbok wing Canan Moodie have thrown an interesting spanner in the works as the team management have to try and decide who their frontline wingers are for the World Cup.

Moodie was named man-of-the-match after an action-packed two-try showing in the Boks’ 52-16 hammering of Wales in Cardiff on Saturday — his second award in a row after he also picked up the man-of-the-match gong in their previous match against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

Choices

It is a stunning turnaround for the 20-year-old after a number of pundits and fans thought he might just miss out on selection for the showpiece event before his performance in Argentina effectively sealed his place in the final 33-man squad.

At the last World Cup Makazole Mapimpi was the starting left wing with Cheslin Kolbe on the right, but it could be a new starting combination that is backed in the opening match in France.

Kolbe is arguably the only definite starter among the four wingers, a grouping that also features the impressive Kurt-Lee Arendse, and he may stay on the left wing to allow for either Moodie or Arendse to play on the right.

Arendse was thought to have moved ahead of Mapimpi in the pecking order with a brilliant man-of-the-match showing against Australia at Loftus last month, but Moodie has possibly now forced himself ahead of him at this stage.

‘World class wingers’

“We have a lot of competition in the squad and world class wingers. So you have to make the most every opportunity that you get. The competition brings the best out of all of us and we just have to keep on going,” said Moodie in a television interview after the Wales match.

Moodie admitted that it was the backing from his coaches and teammates that allowed him to go out and put in top performances every week and that it was still hard to believe that he was going to the World Cup, when just four years ago he was watching the Boks lift the title while still at school.

“Fortunately for me I have the backing of the coaches and my teammates to go out there and be myself and play to the best of my ability,” said Moodie.

“It’s surreal. Four years ago I was still in school, so it’s amazing to be here and going to the World Cup. That is my motivation to come out and keep performing like this.

“Four years ago I would have given everything to be at the World Cup. So I am grateful for every opportunity to go out there and play my best.”