There were just over 29 minutes gone at the Adelaide Oval last weekend when the Springboks were camping on the Wallabies’ tryline.
Duane Vermeulen took a tap penalty that resulted in Australian wing Tom Wright being yellowcarded for going offside, but the Boks played on and were just about to score to level matters at 10-10.
Once Vermeulen placed the ball back, Faf de Klerk arrived at the ruck and just had to quickly pass to an unmarked Ox Nche to score.
Instead, the Bok No 9 waited about six seconds before he finally fired the ball out to the loosehead prop, which gave the defence time to organise themselves, and Nche was held up over the line by firstly hooker Folau Fainga’a and then scrumhalf Nic White.
For me, that just encapsulated the Boks’ problems when they get into the red zone. They lack urgency and precision when they are inside the opposition 22, and need to pick up the pace and be creative in that area.
At least De Klerk has paid the price for that and his yellow card by losing his spot to Jaden Hendrikse yesterday for Saturday’s Rugby Championship clash at the Sydney Football Stadium (11.35am SA time kick-off).
And of course, the other major change made by coach Jacques Nienaber was installing Damian Willemse at flyhalf, due to the injuries to Handre Pollard (knee) and Elton Jantjies (hand).
I would have wanted that selection to be made even if both Pollard and Jantjies were fit, as Willemse has been – alongside Lukhanyo Am – one of the few Boks who can spark the attack.
But will Willemse be given the licence to thrill?
He was a dynamic presence at inside centre for the Stormers in their charge to the United Rugby Championship title, where he dovetailed superbly with flyhalf Manie Libbok in making things happen with ball-in-hand.
But at the Boks, Willemse has had to largely stick to the game plan as the fullback, and has put boot to ball a few times this year when the better option would have been to run or pass.
Nienaber mentioned during yesterday’s team announcement that “there is a playing pattern that is in place, but you must bring your own circus act to the party – what you are good at – and that is what we expect from Damian”.
But saying that to the media and what actually happens behind closed doors sometimes differs, so we will have to see on Saturday whether Willemse is allowed to play the situation in front of him – such as an overlap inside his own half – or whether he sticks to the game plan of kicking for territory and putting pressure on the opposition.
That kind of decision-making comes down to the courage of the player’s conviction as well. His coach has publicly said that he wants Willemse to bring his own “circus act” to the fore, but will the man himself be confident enough to throw that skip pass, offload in the tackle or carry the ball into the defence? Or put in a clever grubber or little chip?
Pollard has not been operating at full tilt this year, while Jantjies has had little game-time for club and country.
This is Willemse’s big opportunity to secure the flyhalf berth that he started in as a teenager for Western Province and the Stormers, and it is up to him to seize the moment …
@AshfakMohamed