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New flyhalf blood for Boks but Vermeulen and Steyn rested

New flyhalf blood for Boks but Vermeulen and Steyn rested
Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu / Gallo Images)
Craig Ray
By Craig Ray
28 Oct 2022
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The Springbok squad for a crucial northern hemisphere tour includes some exciting young talent and battle-hardened old heads.

Junior Springbok captain Sacha Mngomezulu, or to use his full name which he requested of the Bok management, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, is one of two new caps in a 35-man Springbok squad bound for Europe.

Why Sacha has added the surname of one of his parents was not revealed, and given that family matters can sometimes be complicated, it will probably stay that way. It is his business.

Regardless, commentators better start practicing pronouncing his name because Feinberg-Mngomezulu is a rising star and selection to his first senior Bok squad is deserved and expected.

Fellow Stormer Manie Libbok, who plays flyhalf for the franchise, has also been rewarded for this consistently good form in the United Rugby Championship (URC) with his first call-up. With matches against Ireland, France, Italy and England to come, they are both bound to earn their first caps at some stage.

Boks: Manie Libbok Manie Libbok at DHL Newlands Stadium on 3 October, 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images)



Johan Goosen, who has been in Bok training squads this year but has only just returned from a long-term injury, was named in an initial 19-man SA “A” squad, which will tour simultaneously.

Libbok will certainly play second fiddle to Damian Willemse, who is now officially listed as a flyhalf on the Bok squad roster. Previously Willemse had always been listed as ‘utility back’ just as Feinberg-Mngomezulu has been for this tour, even though he was the starting 10 for the Junior Boks.

Willemse has earned the No 10 jersey after some brilliant displays in the position. In the absence of the injured Handre Pollard and Elton Jantjies, who has checked into a rehab clinic, Willemse has a chance to nail down the flyhalf position.

What a bonus it would be for the Boks if someone of Pollard’s stature is able to come off the bench this time next year.

Libbok and Feinberg-Mngomezulu are both excellent goal-kickers, which is one area that they edge Willemse, but the latter is the certain first choice now.

Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus admitted that Willemse needs to improve that aspect of his game, but he reminded the media that it was Willemse’s pressure-laden, last-minute penalty that beat Wales at Loftus in July.

“The three guys we have used consistently since 2018 — Handre (Pollard), Elton (Jantjies) and Frans are not available for this tour, but Damian has done a great job at flyhalf for us this year,” said Bok head coach Jacques Nienaber.

“When we had our discussions in February, Johan was the guy we identified as our next flyhalf if we do get an injury.

“Fortunately for us, he spent some time with us in the preparation camps before the Wales Tests and the Rugby Championship. He’s been with us on the (training) field and has helped Stokke (Mzwandile Stick) with some coaching stuff, so he has a pretty good idea about how we operate.

“Unfortunately, he’s only played a total of 160 minutes in the URC (during the current season) and we would have liked him to have played more.

“But we’ve got some exciting young flyhalves in South Africa who are all producing for their franchises. We are excited to see how they step up if they do get the opportunity.”

Boks: Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber. Springbok assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber. (Photo: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)


Vermeulen and Frans Steyn rested


Veteran Duane Vermeulen and Frans Steyn have been rested for the tour, but both are still in the frame for Rugby World Cup 2023 in France.

“Some of the guys who are getting a bit older in the legs but can still make it to the World Cup … we have seen enough and know their commitment,” Erasmus said.

“We don’t think a guy like Duane needs any more experience and he has been really well managed at Ulster.

“This is probably the perfect tour, when you’re playing No 1 [Ireland] and No 2 [France] in the world, to see some of the other youngsters, if they get an opportunity.”

There has also been a recall for lock Jason Jenkins, something of a forgotten man after making his one and only Test appearance against Wales in Washington more than four years ago.

In the continued absence of RG Snyman through knee injury, Jenkins has been preferred to Ruan Nortje, who is in the SA ‘A’ side.



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Big touring party


South Africa ‘A’ coach Stick included nine capped Springboks in a 19-man squad that will travel to Ireland next week Saturday for their two-match tour against Munster and the Bristol Bears

They will later be joined by seven players from Nienaber’s squad following the Springboks’ opening Test against the top-ranked team in the world, Ireland, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on 5 November.

This will see the Springbok squad reduced to 28 players and the SA ‘A’ team increased t0 26.

The Boks play further Tests against France in Marseille on 12 November, Italy in Genoa on 19 November and England in London on 26 November.

The SA ‘A’ team, meanwhile, will face Munster on Thursday, 10 November, and the Bristol Bears on 17 November.

Stick’s SA ‘A’ team, in turn, feature capped Springboks Ntuthuko Mchunu (prop), Joseph Dweba (hooker), Nortje (lock), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (loose forward), Herschel Jantjies, Grant Williams (both scrumhalves), Goosen (flyhalf), Aphelele Fassi and Cornal Hendricks (both utility backs).

A flush of exciting young players, who have made their presence felt at franchise level, have also been included in the touring squad. Former Junior Bok captain Phepsi Buthelezi (loose forward), Sanele Nohamba (scrumhalf), Henco van Wyk (centre), Gianni Lombard and Suleiman Hartzenberg (both utility backs) are all in the SA ‘A’ side.

Summing up the composition of the exciting 54-man squad Erasmus said: “This is a very important tour for both teams in terms of measuring how we perform against some of the top countries and clubs in the world and to give a wider group of players an opportunity to play at this level, less than a year out from the Rugby World Cup.

“We have some exciting young talent making a strong statement for their franchises and clubs, and since we are limited to selecting only a specified number of players for the Springbok squad, we would not have been able to see some of them in action, so we are delighted to have this SA ‘A’ tour.

“This team is the closest one can get to represent the Springboks and given the quality of the Munster and Bristol teams and the electric atmospheres expected at those sold-out matches, this will be the perfect opportunity for those players to put up their hands for the World Cup squad.”

Nienaber said he tried to strike a balance between experience and exposing a few young players to the national team on this tour.

“We are facing three of the top five teams in the world in Ireland, France and England, and we are building our squad for the World Cup next year at the same time, so it was important to maintain consistency in selection while also rewarding a few talented young players for their steady form this season,” said Nienaber.

“The fact that a few key players were ruled out due to injury also played a role in this process, but we know what we have in those players, and it has granted us an opportunity to see what the next generation of players can do at this level. This will bode well for the Rugby World Cup and beyond.”

Springbok squad:


Props: Thomas du Toit (Sharks), Steven Kitshoff (Stormers), Vincent Koch (unattached), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Ox Nche (Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92)

Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks)

Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Jason Jenkins (Leinster), Salmaan Moerat, Marvin Orie (both Stormers)

Loose forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (Sharks), Evan Roos (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs), Marco van Staden (Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers)

Utility forwards: Deon Fourie (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)

Scrumhalves: Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Jaden Hendrikse (Sharks), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier)

Flyhalves: Manie Libbok, Damian Willemse (both Stormers)

Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles)

Outside backs: Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Sbu Nkosi (Bulls)

Utility backs: Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Cheslin Kolbe (Toulon), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers)

SA ‘A’ squad:


Forwards: Simphiwe Matanzima (Bulls), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks), Sazi Sandi (Stormers), Mornay Smith (Bulls), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls), Joseph Dweba (Stormers), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers), Ruan Nortje (Bulls), Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Sikhumbuzo Notshe (Sharks).

Backs: Herschel Jantjies (Stormers), Sanele Nohamba (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks), Johan Goosen (Bulls), Gianni Lombard (Lions), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Cornal Hendricks (Bulls), Suleiman Hartzenberg (Stormers), Henco van Wyk (Lions). DM

 

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