They failed to get going against the World XV, showed potential in the first Test against Scotland and stuttered to a worrying victory in the second.
However, Springbok coach Jake White is not scampering to pressing any panic buttons yet as his team put together their final touches ahead of a gruelling Tri-Nations tournament with a one-off Test match against France in Cape Town on Saturday.
After suffering heavy criticism for their season-opening non-Test against the World XV in Johannesburg three weeks ago, White altered his team for their potential bruiser against Scotland.
The Boks came out of the first Test unscathed, besides a serious injury to centre Jean de Villiers, but followed that up with a diabolical performance in the second Test against Scotland, which brought an abrupt end to Schalk Burger’s 2006 season.
Ever the optimist, White will use the unsatisfactory start to the international season as a motivating factor to conjure up a victory against the French.
”I don’t think that we have our backs to the wall. These players have experienced greater pressure and expectation in the past two years. We will use this as a motivating factor going into this game,” White said.
White had expected the return of the player known as ”The Enforcer”, towering lock Bakkies Botha, but Botha had not made a satisfactory enough recovery to be considered for the game.
With Burger out of action for the remainder of the year, White was forced to make only one change to his pack of forwards that has played in the last two Tests, with Pedrie Wannenburg coming in at number eight and Joe van Niekerk moving to flank.
”Continuity is obviously something we need and there has only been one change to the forwards in three weeks. In the last two years there have been about eight players who are consistently in the team, but we have to adapt with the injuries,” said White.
Playing without a recognised fetcher to counter the potential of the formidable French back row of Serge Betsen, Thierry Dusautoir and Imanol Harinordoquy beating Van Niekerk, Wannenburg and Juan Smith to the point of breakdown, White believes that his loose trio can easily be taught how to fetch.
”You can teach a guy to do it. It simply means that you are tackler and that means that you are at that point of breakdown first. We have this obsession about fetchers, which is a skill that can be taught. My sons are my best fetchers on a Sunday when they fetch me a beer,” White said.
Bok captain John Smit believes that the only way that the Boks can beat the French will be his pack controlling their opposition in the scrums, mauls, rucks and line-outs.
”This is a big test to see how we measure up against these guys. The pack will have to take charge in this fixture,” Smit said.
White has had to reshuffle his injury-struck backline, with the halfback combination of Fourie du Preez and Jaco van der Westhuyzen being given another opportunity to strengthen their game.
For the third consecutive Test the Springbok centre pairing will be altered as De Wet Barry is called back into the team to partner Wynand Olivier while Brent Russell comes in at wing in place of the injured Breyton Paulse.
”De Wet has had some time off and is fresh again. He has played more rugby than many players. He knows how it feels like to be left out of the team and brought back in. Jean de Villiers will be available soon, so he will have to perform,” said White.
Nothing seems to faze White at the moment — injuries and positional changes included. ”It’s an exciting time. We have to compliment these players because they win,” he said. — Sapa
Springbok team
Percy Montgomery, Brent Russell, Wynand Olivier, De Wet Barry, Bryan Habana, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Fourie du Preez, Pedrie Wannenburg, Juan Smith, Joe van Niekerk, Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw, Eddie Andrews, John Smit, Os du Randt.
Replacements: Gary Botha, CJ van der Linde, Albert van den Berg, Jacques Cronje, Enrico Januarie, Wayne Julies, Gaffie du Toit.
French team
Julien Laharrague, Vincent Clerc, Florain Fritz, Yannick Jauzion, Cedric Heymans, Damien Traille, Dimitri Yachvili, Imanol Harinordoquy, Thierry Dusautoir, Serge Betsen, Jerome Thion, Fabien Pelous, Pieter de Villiers, Dimitri Szarzewski, Sylvian Marconnet.
Replacements: Raphael Ibanez, Vincent Debaty, Lionel Nallet, Julien Bonnaire, Remy Martin, Pierre Mignoni, Thomas Castaignede.