Solving the Springboks' No.10 conundrum

There are serious problems at No 10. There is no universally loved figure ready and able to occupy this crucial post. The incumbent is a lame duck and has been accused of prioritising the interests of a small constituency in the Midlands over the national interest. There have been accusations that the person entrusted with running the show is little more than a puppet. Inertia and ineptitude, mostly a consequence of the organisation’s own short-sightedness, could be the reason we see a handover in power within the next 12 months.

British politics and South African rugby don’t often track on parallel paths, but the turmoil engulfing Downing Street and the concerns around the Springboks flyhalf position are eerily similar.

Like the leader of the Conservative Party (whoever that is by the time you read this), Jacques Nienaber has a conundrum to solve. If he wants to stay on as head coach after rugby’s quadrennial election, better known as the World Cup, he’ll have to find an answer to the burning question that has plagued so many of his forebears.

Who is South Africa’s best flyhalf right now?

It’s a little complicated. Handre Pollard, the man who steered South Africa to a third World Cup title in Japan three years ago, is once again injured. He joined Leicester Tigers at the start of their Premiership title defence already nursing some damage to his knee. His comeback lasted just 26 minutes on the artificial turf at Saracens in a 51-18 loss earlier this month and is undergoing rehabilitation following surgery.

(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

Elton Jantjies, Pollard’s deputy in Japan, is effectively out of the picture after a spate of allegations placing him at the heart of a sex scandal which is, frankly, none of our business. It does however mean that he has been excluded from the Springboks’ European tour. On Tuesday, Rassie Erasmus told journalists that Jantjies' omission was partially founded on rugby principles, but did admit that the mark against Janjties' character has played a significant role.

So that’s the first and second choice taken off the board. Tory MPs will relate.

Thankfully, South African rugby is blessed with four formidable franchises in the United Rugby Championship each with their own set of fly halves at the ready. If only rugby was played in an ideal world.

Damien Willemse, the most talented and versatile of the remaining candidates, isn’t a flyhalf. His two games for the Stormers this year have been at 12 and 15, the two positions where his skillset is best utilised.

Willemse is a feel player, a man who thrives on broken play and pounces off a fragmented platform. Of course he is astute enough to stick to the rigid strategy of the Springboks, but asking him to dictate proceedings would be like asking Ginger Baker to lead a marching band. He’ll do it, and do it to the best of his abilities, but wouldn’t you rather have him smashing cymbals further back?

It should be noted that the Springboks won both matches that Willemse started at 10, but, with respect to Australia and Argentina, sterner trials await. Any evaluations of his long term future at flyhalf will have to made until he’s been tested against Ireland, France and England in the coming months.

That is, if he gets the chance to do so. According to SuperSport, Johan Goosen has “the inside track” on the Springbok 10 position and was the only flyhalf included in the recent 26-man training squad. The 30-year-old last represented his country in 2016 when he started at fullback in a 27-13 loss in Cardiff but began his international career in 2012 at 10.

Goosen has impressed in patches for the Bulls, stepping into the void left by the retired Morne Steyn (who will surely return in 2033 as a 49-year-old for the next Lions tour to South Africa) and offers a safe pair of hands should Nienarber wish to deploy Willemse in a more free-ranging role.

Nienaber could have turned to Frans Steyn, as he did against Argentina in Durban, but a knee injury has kept the veteran back sidelined. Just as well. For all his attributes, Steyn has never been a flyhalf and doesn’t play there for the Cheetahs.

Which brings us to the real burning question: If every candidate has caveats and concerns next to their name, where is everyone else? The current ruling party in the UK might be called the Conservatives but it is a more fitting moniker for the Springboks.

Manie Libbok’s exclusion from the group has stirred the most debate. The Springbok team management has not fully shut the door on the Stormers pivot, stating that “anything could happen” over the course of the next few months, but it is baffling that he has not been pencilled in as a non-playing reserve given his recent form.

It’s not just Libbok. Gianni Lombard (Lions), Chris Smith (Bulls), Boeta Chamberlain (Sharks) and Sacha Mngomezulu - the 20-year-old former who has attracted attention from Eddie Jones given his familial links to England - have all been ignored.

Erasmus, Nienaber and their backline coach, Mzwandile Stick, played with a straight bat on Tuesday but they were merely blocking and deflecting. They called for patience and sought to dampen excitement around young players who might make costly errors, but, if given the licence to express themselves, could turn the Springboks into more than just a blunt object.

We’ve seen glimpses of the latent potential in the backline. Canan Moodie has been a revelation on the wing, Jaden Hendrikse has injected speed and intent from scrum half and Warrick Gelant, who signed with Racing 92 in February, has shown that he can light up any field he steps on.

Add in the talents of Lukhanyo Am and Cheslin Kolbe and this Springbok side has enough hot-steppers and back-of-the-hand off-loaders to choke a highlights reel. Put those names behind that indomitable pack and you’ve got the ingredients for a dynastic force.

Such a scenario may yet come to pass. But the orthodoxy and steadfast adherence to traditionalism demonstrated by Nienaber and Erasmus shows that this is wishful thinking. The door at Downing Street might be rotating at a frantic pace, but the Springboks' views on No 10 remain unchanged.