Some might argue “Forget Paris”, but it’s hard not to dredge the events that yielded the Springboks another Rugby World Cup (RWC) title ahead of next weekend’s Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks at Ellis Park.
It was on the French capital’s less fashionable streets in the far north that the Springboks and All Blacks had the rugby world holding its collective breath last October.
It was a clash of plot-twisting cards — and intervention from upstairs — that left the All Blacks in despair on a damp autumn evening.
Next weekend, it is the pot-holed, less-travelled streets of Johannesburg that will provide the battleground, and though both teams are in a new cycle to the next RWC, last year’s final still looms large.
The Boks got to lift the trophy by a one-point margin but both sets of fans could argue a different scoreline might have been a fairer reflection.
The All Blacks may feel they have a point to prove but not all the Boks’ cast will line up for their potential wrath.
The Springboks could be without as much as a third of the starting team that did duty in the RWC final. Lock Franco Mostert, scrumhalf Faf de Klerk, fullback Damian Willemse [all injury-related] and No 8 Duane Vermeulen [retired] are not available to reprise their roles from under the lights of the Stade de France.
Significantly, however, the Boks’ leading man that night, flank Pieter-Steph du Toit, will be part of next weekend’s opening credits. Du Toit terrorised the All Blacks, hounding, harassing and hurrying their ball carriers, particularly their first and second receivers.
He was like a heat-seeking missile, mostly locking in on inside centre Jordie Barrett, and to a lesser extent flyhalf Richie Mo’unga. With Du Toit bearing down this time, it will likely fall to Damian McKenzie to deploy collision avoidance techniques, while Barrett will be forgiven for lining up a step back.
Guess who's back
Du Toit will likely feature in a back row that includes Jasper Wiese, who has the opportunity to reassert himself in the No 8 jersey. The last time Wiese — who missed the Boks’ first six Tests of the year due to suspension — featured in a back row with Du Toit and captain Siya Kolisi was in the team’s defeat to Ireland in the RWC’s pool stages.
Prop Steven Kitshoff, centre André Esterhuizen, utility back Canan Moodie and scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse are again available for selection. Having last played against Tonga at the RWC, Hendrikse may be short of a Test gallop, but the Bok coaches are familiar with his qualities. He has a strong kicking game, which was one of the Boks’ rare shortfalls in their win over the Wallabies in Perth.
Though cognisant that that Test was contested in torrential rain, De Klerk said greater precision from the base would serve the Boks better. “The execution was off, with a few kicks and passing. Conditions were tricky. We as 9s can control the ball at the base a bit better. I know I struggled against Ireland as well,” admitted De Klerk.
Though Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt-Lee Arendse are one of the game’s most lethal wing pairings, there may be a case for the more elongated Moodie to start, given the All Blacks’ aerial threat.
It is worth noting it was Esterhuizen and Moodie who formed the centre pairing when the Boks humbled the All Blacks 35-7 ahead of the RWC.
The All Blacks, meanwhile, will have captain Scott Barrett back but they were dealt a significant blow with prop Ethan de Groot failing to shake his neck injury. He is a big loss.
De Klerk argued the pressure is on the All Blacks. “They know they need to beat us once to at least stand a chance of getting close. It will be tightly contested. Both sides are willing to have a go but whoever pitches up physically will win the game.”
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