Rudolf Straeuli’s reign as Springbok coach may not have much further to run and history will record that he was the most inclusive coach of the national side in history. True to form, Straeuli this week refused to dismiss the claims of any of the walking wounded in his extended World Cup squad of 40, repeating merely that all would be revealed at the Supersport Show on Saturday.
And so Bob Skinstad attended training in Pretoria on Wednesday, despite having admitted to the Cape press on Monday that his dreams of playing in a second World Cup were over. Even more bizarre were the peregrinations of Robbie Kempson, who shuttled from city to city looking for a doctor who would give him good news about his lame arm.
Straeuli presumably gave him licence to roam because upon Kempson’s fitness rests the balance of the side. If Kempson is fit, his ability to prop at both loosehead and tight-head means that Straeuli can afford to take an extra back in a squad of 16 forwards and 14 backs. If he is not fit an extra prop may be included at the expense of a back in a squad with a 17-13 split.
Foot-shooting season opened on Wednesday when Geo Cronje recused himself from the squad by refusing to share a room with Quinton Davids. When things like this happen the problems associated with selecting a balanced squad pale into insignificance. What this country’s rugby needs now is a few balanced minds.
On the question of balance, quite why Straeuli would ever need five props remains a mystery, however, especially as John Smit — a certainty at hooker — played in all three front row positions for the Sharks two seasons ago when, in Straeuli’s first season in charge of a major province, they reached the Super 12 final.
If the split is indeed 17-13, it would save Straeuli the embarrassment of having to explain why he had overlooked Craig Davidson, Bolla Conradie and Ricardo Januarie in favour of Fourie du Preez at the training camp. The fact that Du Preez lives in Pretoria and would thus save on
expenses is not a credible excuse.
Jean de Villiers was sent back to Western Province because he was not deemed strong enough to cope at the World Cup, thereby reducing the number of centres in the squad to three, four if you count Werner Greeff and five if you also count Jacque Fourie.
Greeff is a certainty thanks to the coach’s touching faith in his ability to rekindle the form he showed at Ellis Park against Australia last year. The fact that he had a nightmare tour of Europe two months later and has scarcely played a game of rugby since does not apparently count against him.
So Fourie will have to make do with being on standby for injuries during the tournament, unless Brent Russell fails to recover in time from a sprained ankle. Russell has been on crutches for a week, but may be a bigger certainty for the trip than Andre Pretorius, whose troublesome knee has flared up at precisely the wrong moment.
Once again the doubt over Pretorius may be a blessing in disguise, for it will save Straeuli giving an embarrassing eulogy to Louis Koen and allow him to take his ace goal kicker to Australia alongside the far more gifted Derick Hougaard.
So much for the backs, but it’s up front that games will be won and lost. There are enough good players in the squad to make up an excellent tight five, with plenty of strength on the bench, given the apparent decision to send three hookers following an amnesty of Zuma-esque proportions for Lukas van Biljon.
The balance of the back row will spark much debate, but the temporary injury to Pedrie Wannenburg that allowed Schalk Burger to be drafted into the squad could be the best thing to happen to Straeuli since he was given the job in the first place.
Burger is big, quick, skilful, intelligent and 19. In an ideal world he would form a world-class back row with Jaun Smith and Joe van Niekerk, but since captain Corné Krige has a divine right to play, he will probably have to make do with the job of impact player.
Of all the iniquities likely to be visited upon South African rugby in the next few months, the only truly unbearable one would be if Burger were left out of the squad.
Take note of anyone who tries to tell you that he is too young, too inexperienced, tonsorially incorrect and not ugly enough, for that person does not know a rugby player from a big, black dog.