Andrews prowess may be what doctor ordered

Say what you like, a properly fit and motivated Mark Andrews would make an enormous difference to any side in any country.

Right now it's South Africa who need him - and given a decent break and just the smallest smidgeon of luck, he should be ready to don the Springbok jersey in the Tri-Nations kick-off against the All Blacks in Wellington on July 20.

That's just short of a month away and the giant Sharks lock takes his first step towards that goal on Wednesday when he captains South Africa A against Argentina in Witbank.

Knowing Andrews and his passion for the game one can just see those jaw muscles twitching with sheer impatience for that moment to arrive.

Andrews, justifiably, oozes self-belief. He has a maxim that perfectly sums up his attitude, and it is this: "Form is temporary, class is permanent." It applies to all great sportsmen from Tiger Woods to the darts player in your local pub who knows how to open and close with "double tops".

Andrews used his favourite saying recently in conjunction with his appointment as captain of South Africa A for Wednesday's match. He admitted that, with just four Super 12 outings this season, his fitness level obviously left something to be desired. But he knows he has the class and, as he put it, his desire to play Test rugby "is as strong as it has ever been".

Andrews has played 77 Tests, just one short of Joost van der Westhuizen's record - so it was no surprise to hear him add: "When you've been a part of the Boks for so long, and then suddenly you're on the outside, it hurts."

He went on: "Bok coach Rudolf Straeuli has given me a chance. It's up to me to show I still have what it takes - I'm hardly going to be holding back."

This applies equally to a number of others whose careers have been temporarily stalled by injury, such as Butch James and Robbie Fleck, both prominent members of the Springbok backline just 12 months ago.

But Sharks skipper Andrews is the player the Springboks are most in need of right now.

A combative tight forward who never spares himself, his presence is immediately felt whenever he takes his place in the scrum's second row.

After returning injured from the Sharks Super 12 tour Down Under, he couldn't wait to return to the team.

Fortunately, Kevin Putt - no doubt backed up by Straeuli's influence - sensibly held him back.

Andrews is daily hard at work to regain peak fitness and he needs as much game time as he can get. He might even have attained that fitness summit by the time the Test against Samoa comes around in Pretoria on July 6.

Ideally, some game time then would sharpen him for the All Blacks showdown.

The Cats Jannes Labuschagne showed against Wales he has all the qualities a lock at international level needs. Sadly, Victor Matfield so far has been a disappointment.

The quality he most lacks is what Andrews thrives on. Put in its simplest terms that ingredient is aggression. When Andrews is on the park, his opponents are left in no doubt of his presence.

Many have remarked on an element missing in the Springbok pack which battled for lengthy periods in the set pieces and tight-loose in the two Tests against Wales. Undoubtedly, that missing factor was the knowhow and no-nonsense approach at the very heart of the front five, that a player of Andrews' standing provides.

He has proclaimed on numerous occasions recently his "hunger" to return to the Test arena. If his body, at 30, can still perform as it did just a couple of seasons ago, he will be the perfect driver for the Springbok engine-room in the Tri-Nations series.

It is not beyond the bounds of possibility either that Straeuli, who knows and understands Andrews well and bas special regard for his qualities as a leader, might just have additional plans for the big man.

If he finds the present captaincy impasse between provincial teammates, Bobby Skinstad and Corne Krige, unnecessarily difficult to deal with, he might well decide that a fit and motivated Andrews is just what the doctor ordered.