Beefier Bok pack will test Irish

By Jacques van der Westhuyzen in Dublin

By selecting Springbok captain John Smit at hooker for Saturday's season-ending clash against Ireland, coach Peter de Villiers has, to some degree, conceded the experiment with Smit at tighthead prop has failed.

De Villiers insisted late in 2009 that for Smit to prolong his career to the World Cup in 2011 he had no option but to anchor the scrum from tighthead. He was shifted from hooker for the tour of the UK in November 2008 and has since then played all 14 Tests for the Boks as the first-choice tighthead.

While at times he stood up well at scrum-time, former scrumming greats have in the past year suggested Smit move back to hooker.

De Villiers stuck to his guns and continued to pick his leader in the No.3 jersey, even though the scrumming power of the Boks has come under some fierce criticism.

Now, with BJ Botha back in the side - surprising considering he plays out of Ulster - Smit finds himself where he is most comfortable and most influential - in the middle of the front row.

Does this suggest Smit will in future wear the No.2 on his back? And what then does the future hold for the industrious Bismarck du Plessis?

De Villiers was non-committal on Thursday. "Three months ago we had so few options - now look at our good fortune," he said. "We have played our props into the ground so this is a great position to be in."

De Villiers, though, never gave an indication whether Smit's positional switch for Saturday's match would be a permanent one.

But what the change to the front row has done is strengthen the pack ahead of what is a must-win match for the Boks - if they are to cap a great 2009 season in style.

Botha showed in his 20 minutes against Italy last week he remains a force at scrum-time, while Beast Mtawarira is still the best loosehead in the country. For back-up on Saturday De Villiers will be able to call on fit-again Du Plessis and CJ van der Linde, while Wian du Preez and Adriaan Strauss - who both started against Italy - miss out completely.

Smit's last start at hooker was for the Sharks during the Super 14. "It's been a while, but you don't forget; it's like riding a bicycle," he quipped.

Botha, on holiday in South Africa when the call came through last Tuesday for him to join the squad in Italy, said he could hardly believe his luck at getting the chance to start for the Boks.

"A couple of injuries allowed me to step in - everything's happened so quickly, it's great to be involved again," he said.

Botha, who watched the Boks from afar when they lost to Leicester, France and Saracens, said the scrumming woes should not be attributed to the front row only.

"Scrumming is about an eight-man effort. I wasn't in the camp so I don't know what was going on, but I know the guys got hammered a bit in the media. It's about having the right attitude and I think we had a point to prove in Italy - now we need to take it forward."

In the other changes to the Bok side that won in Udine a week ago, Victor Matfield returns to the second row, while Schalk Burger regains the No.7 jersey with Danie Rossouw shifting to eighth man.

At the back, Wynand Olivier takes the place of Adi Jacobs, who has returned home because of a sprained ankle.

In the most significant selections on the bench, uncapped Dewald Potgieter comes in, while Leinster-based Jean de Villiers returns to the fray. While it appears to be a formidable Bok combination, there is believed to be some concern over the fitness of Bakkies Botha. The second row powerhouse missed training on Thursday morning due to a back injury and may even miss the match, too.

STARTING XV

Zane Kirchner; JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez; Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger, Heinrich Brussow; Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, BJ Botha, John Smit (captain), Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements:

Bismarck du Plessis, CJ van der Linde, Andries Bekker, Jean Deysel, Dewald Potgieter, Ruan Pienaar, Jean de Villiers