Threat of injury: Is it really necessary for Boks to be playing warm-up matches?

While I fully understand the need to get players battle-ready and hardened before the World Cup, hence the need for as many games as possible in the build-up, is going to Argentina to take on a fiery Pumas team really going to be of benefit to the Springboks?

The same goes for the two other warm-up games that have been arranged ahead of the World Cup — against Wales in Cardiff and New Zealand in London later this month. Are they really necessary?

Surely by now coach Jacques Nienaber knows who he wants in his 33-man World Cup squad and one performance this weekend, in Buenos Aires, isn’t going to change his mind ahead of next Tuesday’s squad announcement.

Injury threat

Also, with this match (and the other two) being warm-up games, with nothing riding on the outcome, why would any player go full out? The risks for injury are too big and that is my other concern with warm-up matches — the threat of key players picking up an injury that rules them out of the World Cup.

I know coaches and even the players will say what happens must happen and injuries are part of the game and you have to live with them, but no one wants to see a key man ruled out now.

Already the Boks are without Siya Kolisi and Handre Pollard and while team management seem sure they will be okay for the first pool game in France, there is no certainty they will be fit. There is also no guarantee they will be match ready, having not played rugby for months. It’s already a risk and gamble by the Boks to carry two men who’ve not played in months.

Flyhalf situation

Whatever Nienaber and Co say, it is a huge risk to be playing both Damian Willemse (fullback) and Manie Libbok (flyhalf) in Buenos Aires this weekend, and that’s because of Pollard’s situation and the uncertainty around his availability. What if both were to pick up bad knocks on Saturday?

That would be a disaster for the Boks just weeks out from the World Cup. Elton Jantjies, who was part of the mix in 2019 and most recently served the squad in a back-up role, but was released, could be called back in, but that would be far from ideal.

Lukhanyo Am, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Franco Mostert and Bongi Mbonambi playing this weekend will also ensure Nienaber and Co hold their breath for however long they are on the field in BA.

They won’t be the only ones … there will be many fans in South Africa also holding their breath this weekend … and when the Boks face Wales and New Zealand later this month.

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