Springboks 35-17 Wallabies: key takeaways

The Springboks produced a mouthwatering start to the international rugby season when they defeated Australia 35-17 at Ellis Park on Saturday. I had the unique privilege of watching the game as both a fan and content creator. Sitting in a SAIL booth, chopping it up with some of the finest editors in the country, made me soak in the occasion and the tributes made to fallen heroes James Small and Johnny Clegg (and I'm not sure if Hlehle Nkoyeni was part of it or not). Victory makes everyone feel good. But I had to pull myself back towards myself, check into the media centre for the second half and complete my "hot" take from the game. And here goes:

Herschel Jantjies

·     He has stolen the march on all those before him. It’s crazy what opportunity does and what game time can unearth. He was by far the best rugby player on the continent on the night – in gold or green. Ambrose Papier, a stellar player in his own right, is but as much an after-thought as Rudy Paige at the minute. And he can count his Bulls teammate Piet van Zyl in the same category as well. The pair of them are chewing the cud on the side-lines and chewing their chewing their nails as their World Cup hopes evaporate in full view of the millions that watched the game and 51-thousand that braved the cold to see his 10/10 performance in Doornfontein. And it’s possible that Cobus Reinach will again have one of the best seasons of his career, like he did in 2015, and still miss out on the World Cup squad. It isn’t so much an indictment on Reinach more than it is a compliment to the thievery Herschel Jantjies has done to wrest the No 9 and No 21 jerseys. To his credit, Reinach did not make the decision easy on coach Rassie Erasmus with a sniping finish – the likes that he was known for at the Sharks, that he developed to become the English Premiership Player-of-the-Year last season – which sealed the convincing 35-17 victory for the South Africa. Faf de Klerk has a target fixed right between the eyes and Herschel has his finger on the glock.

Elton Jantjies (no relation)

·     The Springbok performance everyone has been looking for all these years from Elton Jantjies was present in all its full glory at Ellis Park during the game. He was never rushed into any decision and was in full control, just like he has been at the Lions for nearly a decade. He wasn’t shy to look to take the ball up and he measured his kicking, in that he laced it only when necessary. His high balls gave each of his chasers, Makazole Mapimpi and S’bu Nkosi, a chance to retrieve the ball fromn the clawy hands of Ozzie debutant Tom Banks.

Midfield headache

·     It’s getting sad and desperate. I’m talking about the No 12 situation. In one of the key decision-making positions, the Springboks are the only world team without a world class No 12 going into the Rugby World Cup. New Zealand have a glut of them – Sonny-Bill Williams, Ngani Laumape and any of Ryan Crotty and Anton Liernet-Brown can play there. What showed against the Wallabies at Ellis Park was that Andre Esterhuizen – who thinks he can kick but really all he does is a schoolboy punt up field that his teammates have to hope does not go out on the full. Esterhuizen is Damian de Allende Light and like any “light” version, it just isn’t quite the same as the original, is watered down and leaves a bitter after taste. Not that De Allende is the finest barrel out the distillery. He has the potential to get rolled over in Wellington if he faces any of the afore mentioned inside centers. But back to Esterhuizen: he made sure he got his kick out on the full early, almost to set the tone for an error-strewn performance. Every time he did something good, he wiped the slate clean with a shocking decision right after. Like when he made the second to last pass that put S’bu Nkosi in behind the Ozzie defence, who in turn set up Herschel Jantjies’ first try and the opening score of the match. The Sharks first center then proceeded to chase his own grubber and maul down Wallby fullback Tom Banks with a shocking high tackle. When he went off for 10 minutes into the bin, some how the Boks played better and scored through Lood de Jager – which says everything you really need to know – before the pressure of the one-man deficit told and Dane Haylett-Petty touched down in the corner. Frans Steyn also gave more impetus on the advantage line but no Bok could really claim to have wrapped Samu Kerevi up. And when Kurtley Beale came on, he showed the devastation that can occur when there are two play-makers on the park when he set up Bernard Foley in the final 10 minutes. 

·     The solution, meanwhile, is staring Rassie Erasmus in the face and threatening to slap him. Lukhanyo Am – a born inside centre – is the obvious partner to Jesse Kriel and the pair have mutual respect and complementary assets to create what Jean de Villiers had in concert with Jaque Fourie. And to the Am point, the Springbok head coach ought to be wary of keeping a player in a certain position just because he is good at it. Good to great is one a matter of mixing the pieces and switching gears. Am needs his gears switched. He is good at 13 but the potential for a great 12 is there. The same thing happened when Jaque Fourie spent years as fullback and wing, before and inspired decision to pair him with De Villiers, changed him from good to great. The same can be said about Bryan Habana and his switch from centre three-quarter to wing. Precedent is there but test matches are not. Erasmus needs to make the brave decision or risk opening a hold right in midfield where a genuine 12 should be. 

·     At the press conference, Erasmus kicked this Am idea out the curb. He defended Esterhuizen’s performance – which is no surprise, every decent coach bats for his players in the media – but he added that he will not look further than Esterhuizen, Damian de Allende and Frans Steyn for the Rugby World Cup at inside centre. I maintain the Am idea, though, despite how remote the possibility. 

Frans Steyn must start vs All Blacks

·     Freshness will be an issue. Jetlag will be an issue. Steyn’s match-fitness will be an issue but I think Rassie’s best play for the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday is to start Frans Steyn at 12 against the All Blacks. New Zealand weren’t the milkshake and cookies they usually are against Argentina last weekend and they would have watched the Boks’ defeat of the Wallabies with a element of dread. They will dread the fact that Steyn demonstrated some killer instinct when he came on and the Boks showed none of the dysfunction that characterised the previous couple of seasons. Steyn is somewhat of an unknown quantity, having not faced the All Blacks in something like five years (*if you have the correct stat please leave it in the comments). He has returned to the Boks squad looking happier than ever and more mature. Add the fact that he has more than 50 caps in green and gold and that he is a World Cup winner, the All Blacks will be a little wary of the return of the prodigal son. Bok dysfunction suits New Zealand. That way they can put record scores part the Boks at will but it seems like the joyride is over and there lies a great opportunity for the Boks to do back-to-back wins in New Zealand for the first time since Peter de Villiers’ team did a “double” in 2008 and 2009. It would also set a marker for the opening 2019 Rugby World Cup game in Yokohama. 

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