The influence of Willie le Roux is seemingly only set to grow in the coming weeks as the Springboks continue to prepare for the Rugby World Cup in France in September. And don’t be surprised to see Elton Jantjies slot in at flyhalf before then either.
Le Roux has been one of the standout performers for the Boks over the last two seasons, controlling play from the back, while lending attacking impetus – alongside either Damian Willemse or Manie Libbok – as first receiver. The continued reliance on the 33-year-old in that form and function, is due to the variables relating to Handre Pollard’s injury.
On Thursday, with the Boks back together in Pretoria after their recent loss to the All Blacks, Bok coach Jacques Nienaber revealed that although Pollard – and captain Siya Kolisi for that matter – are on track in their rehabilitation, they have started “a process but then there is swelling or there is a loss in range of movement, you can go a step back …
“If everything goes well,” Nienaber stressed, “hopefully, they will make the warm-up games.”
Nienaber reiterated “hopefully” again before further explaining that Pollard will not be pushed into service if not ready.
That certainly implies, along with Nienaber’s assertion that they will not deviate from their current plans, that either Willemse or Libbok will once again don the No 10 jumper against Argentina next weekend at Ellis Park in the closing Rugby Championship match. The duo – plus possibly Jantjies – will more than likely play the warm-up matches, too, against Argentina again, and then Wales and New Zealand.
Pollard, barring any set-backs, is still expected to play a part in those matches.
Nevertheless, the Bok’s opening game of the World Cup is on September 10 against Scotland. Nienaber and his think tank must, therefore, be prepared to select Libbok to garner more experience at pivot or get Willemse more accustomed to the No 10 jumper at Test level, while also balancing the need to give Jantjies gametime.
“The main thing there,” Nienaber explained, “is that it is going to be those two (Libbok and Willemse) and then Elton, if there is an injury or if Handre doesn’t make it.
“We always said that Elton was our fourth choice flyhalf. He can become No 3, if Handre doesn’t make it.
"The key thing is those two guys will get the majority of gametime but Elton also needs gametime. He hasn’t played for a long time.
“We have to try and balance it as much as we can over the next couple of games. I don’t think there are a lot of countries with four flyhalves available.
“We won’t push Handre,” Nienaber added.
“Hopefully, he makes it. He is currently on track in terms of his markers that he needs to hit. If Handre makes it and he performs – he needs to play himself into the squad.”
That brings the importance of Le Roux to the fore.
Since the introduction of Willemse into the squad, the now Bulls-bound Le Roux has taken on a more utilitarian role, slotting into the backline where, when and how required. That has seen him play with a lot more front-foot ball as the first receiver, the Boks using his expert ability to distribute possession with pin-point accuracy.
In doing so, he has become a reliable source of some thrilling try-assists, as was the case against the All Blacks when he threaded a beautiful pass for Chelsin Kolbe’s try. Le Roux, too, has become an option at flyhalf, if the need arises.
Said Nienaber: “The funny thing is, if you go back and look at Willie’s matches in Japan, he played more 10 than 15 for Toyota.”
“Nearly every game,” Jesse Kriel, sitting next to his coach, chimed in.
“I think he played all his games at 10 for them,” Ninaber ingeminated. “Willie is definitely an option.
“If we decide not to go to the world cup with three 10s, then he is an option much like what we did with Frans Steyn in the previous world cup. We only went with two No 10s then in Elton and Handre, and then Frans was always our third-choice to stand in if there were injuries.
“It will depend on if we go with two or three 10s – it is then that Willie becomes an excellent option to take over there,” he concluded.
@FreemanZAR
IOL Sport