The return of abrasive flanker AJ Venter to the Springbok starting line-up for the winner-takes-all Vodacom Tri-Nations clash against the Wallabies on Saturday is a clear indication that coach Jake White is prepared to fight fire with fire.
The robust loose-forward is the only change to the Springbok starting line-up for a match that is fast taking shape as a huge grudge encounter following the tit-for-tat verbal sparring of the respective coaches this week.
Bok coach Jake White tried to play down any thoughts of aggression, explaining the change of Venter for Britz thus: ”It’s horses for courses. It’s AJ’s home ground, and maybe we need to be more destructive at the breakdowns. I think AJ offers us that.
”What AJ did for us in the Perth Test match and against the Pacific Islanders is something we need for this fixture. It’s his home ground, he’s played in four Currie Cup finals, and his experience in handling the pressure of a final will be needed this weekend.”
The Sharks hard man is well renowned, however, for his no-nonsense approach to the game and has often landed in hot water with the authorities in the past. Indeed, his belated call-up to the Bok squad for the away leg of the Tri-Nations was the result of a ban for foul play during the Super 12.
But Venter has shown in recent matches that he is able to play with controlled aggression and he will need to keep his temper in check for what is sure to be a typical, in-your-face Australian performance on Saturday afternoon.
Venter replaces Gerrie Britz in the number-seven jersey and the change will undoubtedly provide the Boks with the edge they will need if they hope to triumph — even though White is not actually admitting that.
On Monday, Australian coach Eddie Jones had a go at his counterpart for bad-mouthing his Australian players, most notably lock Justin Harrison, who White was accused of calling ”one of the dirtiest players in the world”.
In a match of this magnitude such a war of words is to be expected, but White refused to be drawn back into the ring during the press conference to announce his team on Tuesday.
”What has happened in the past is irrelevant, but I would never spy on training sessions. There’s an unwritten code of conduct.”
”You use anything you can to try and win Test matches, and I’m not too worried about it. Sometimes what I read in the paper is a bit of a joke.”
The Springboks are on the front foot having scored three bonus points thus far, two more than the Wallabies and the All Blacks, who completed their campaign last week with a loss against the Boks at Ellis Park.
The Boks are currently the leading points scorers in the competition with 87 and the team have so far managed to score no less than 11 tries, with Marius Joubert (centre) and Jean de Villiers (left wing) bagging three each.
The Boks, meanwhile, continued their preparations for Saturday’s clash with two training sessions on Tuesday.
Former Springbok hooker Shaun Povey and scrumming expert Dougie Heymans arrived at the Bok camp on Monday night to assist the coaching staff with the preparations of the forwards and on arrival went straight into a video-analysis session.
The Wallabies are expected to name their team on Wednesday. — Sapa
Springbok team: Percy Montgomery, Breyton Paulse, Marius Joubert, De Wet Barry, Jean de Villiers, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Bolla Conradie, Joe van Niekerk, AJ Venter, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Eddie Andrews, John Smit (captain), Os du Randt.
Replacements: Hanyani Shimange, CJ van der Linde, Gerrie Britz, Jacques Cronje, Fourie du Preez, Gaffie du Toit, Brent Russell.