Having enjoyed a winning start to his term as South Africa coach, Peter de Villiers now turns his attention to the Tri-Nations and the challenge of facing New Zealand and Australia.
De Villiers took over the Springbok coaching job from World Cup-winning coach Jake White in January this year and, with the nucleus of that tournament team still in place, led the Boks to victories over Wales and Italy in the last three weeks.
De Villiers put his faith in World Cup captain John Smit as well as overseas-based stalwarts Butch James, Victor Matfield and Percy Montgomery as he relied heavily on the players White had built into the world’s best team in 2007.
The new coach picked the majority of the men who represented South Africa in France last season, but added his own touch by selecting a number of players who shone in the southern hemisphere’s Super 14 competition.
The Boks went into the first Test against the Six Nations champions, Wales, in Bloemfontein without World Cup stars such Schalk Burger, Fourie du Preez and Jaque Fourie, who were all injured, and even managed to put Matfield and Montgomery on the replacements’ bench.
Wales were no match for the Boks who, after a long season and missing several key men through injury, ran out comfortable 43-17 winners.
A week later in Pretoria, Wales were a much-improved unit, taking the lead 21-20 with a quarter of the match to go, but the Boks eventually triumphed 37-21.
And, this last weekend, playing against Italy, who’re now coached by former Bok mentor Nick Mallett, the South Africans ran out 26-0 winners.
It’s a three-out-of-three start for De Villiers, who’s been punting an expansive new-look game plan.
While the Boks never quite got to grips with what De Villiers envisages for his team, they still managed to play some attractive, attacking rugby at times.
Whether the coach stays with this approach come the Tri-Nations remains to be seen.
New Zealand, whom the Boks face in Wellington on July 5 and Dunedin a week later, will pose a much stiffer challenge for De Villiers than Wales and Italy did.
Even Australia, now under the guidance of former Canterbury Crusaders coach Robbie Deans, will be difficult opponents in Perth on July 19.
New Zealand are coming off comfortable wins over Ireland and England, while Australia have only played once this season, against Ireland, winning the match without too many problems.
”We’re happy with what we’ve achieved up to now, but a tough few weeks lie ahead,” said lock Matfield after Saturday’s triumph over Italy.
”We now need to build on the platform we’ve laid in the last three matches for the Tri-Nations. But there’s a lot of confidence in the squad at the moment.”
Counting in favour of the Boks, who haven’t won in New Zealand in 10 years, is the fact De Villiers will to a large extent have his full squad available for the clash.
While scrumhalf Du Preez and centre Fourie are still some way off returning to action, flanker Burger is back to full fitness, and captain Smit and Montgomery, who returned to France last week to play for Clermont and Perpignan respectively in the Top 14 semifinals, will be back for the Boks in New Zealand.
The same cannot be said of All Blacks coach Graham Henry, who lost captain Richie McCaw to injury at the weekend, while a few others players are also nursing injuries.
The Boks, after a good start to the season and buoyed by their World Cup triumph just a few months ago, will fancy their chances in Australasia next month. The 28-man Tri-Nations Bok squad will be named Monday.
Meanwhile, Ryan Kankowski will not be joining the Springboks’ 28-man tour group that will be flying out to New Zealand this week.
The Sharks eighthman was stretchered off the field as Saturday’s Test against Italy at Newlands was closing in on half-time. Kankowski was left dazed by a clash of heads after a thunderous tackle from Italy’s South Africa-born lock Carlo del Fava, although he felt fine a few minutes later in the dressing room. Del Fava’s effort earned him a yellow card.
There was nothing to suggest that Kankowski was in any way disorientated when he mixed with guests at Saturday evening’s post-match function, hosted by SA Rugby president Oregan Hoskins at Newlands Stadium.
Springbok communications manager Chris Hewitt said on Sunday that Kankowski will be on a rehabilitation programme over the next two weeks to see if the player suffers from ill effects or headaches after his Del Fava ordeal.
Once the results of tests are known the Springbok management will decide if they want Kankowski to join the tour. It’s very unlikely that he will be flown out because regulations stipulate that only 28 players are allowed in each Tri-Nations squad. — Sapa-AFP