The decision to call up Springbok midfielder Lukhanyo Am to the World Cup squad as replacemfor the injured Makazole Mapimpi may well be welcomed by Bok fans across the spectrum, but it does add a lot of spice in terms of team selection should the Boks get to the playoff rounds.
Handre Pollard’s return last week for the injured hooker Malcolm Marx left the Boks with their makeshift hooking duo of Deon Fourie and Marco van Staden for the rest of the competition, and while Fourie did win man of the match on Sunday against Tonga - a feat that would have eased some of the nerves on the Bok management - there was a genuine case to bring Joseph Dweba into the squad and even up the specialist positions again.
Still, with a week off now and a lot to ponder, as well as waiting for a host of speculative scenarios that can play out to realise into one solid final play for Pool B’s qualifiers, the Boks are in a pretty good position going into the final round of pool play.
They’ve done the work, they know they have one foot in the quarterfinals and only a real anomaly would see them exit the World Cup.
MANIE’S STILL THE MAN
While Handre Pollard did return 100 per cent kicking stats on Saturday against Tonga and has made a number of Springbok supporters smile again, the likelihood is that Manie Libbok is set to start in the quarterfinal - at least at this point.
A lot will depend on what happens this weekend and who the Boks’ quarterfinal opposition is, should they get there.
And already the Bok management are laying the groundwork to temper expectations that Pollard will simply walk into the side.
Libbok, goal-kicking aside, has been exceptional in his attacking play and has given the Boks a different edge to their attack that has been welcomed this World Cup.
While it is too harsh to judge Pollard on his attacking performance, given that he was in his first international game in more than a year, the reality is that it felt very much like an “old school” Bok flyhalf performance as he tried to mix it up with up and unders, taking the ball to the line and trying to get his backline moving.
That in itself is no slight against him. For a first game back the Boks were good against some tricky opposition, but it did leave the lingering thought that perhaps the game had moved on a little bit and Pollard still needed to catch up.
BARNES MAKES HIS CALL
And it wasn’t just that - even the former England pivot and now TV commentator Stuart Barnes - in his column in the Times of London, had similar thoughts as he made the case to play Libbok.
“Dropping him (Libbok) would break the rhythm of a backline capable of the extraordinary. The timing of the pass, the accuracy of it and the exquisite angles of running bring the blinding brilliance of Damien Willemse and his wingers into the game. Pollard doesn’t have this repertoire. He’s old Boks.
“His (Pollard) kicking game is good but lacks the sophistication of Libbock. To reinstate Pollard at 10 would be an error on the part of the Springbok management and an act of vandalism against rare beauty at the highest level. Rassie Erasmus has already said the 2019 template wouldn’t be enough four years on. He’s right. Ireland, France and South Africa are all advancements from 2019. Pollard at 10 represents the comfort of nostalgia on the part of the Springboks.”
Now while there may be several aspects of this take that could be debated, Barnes is correct that Libbok’s attacking play has done nothing to warrant him being dropped.
And apart from goal-kicking - which was rectified against Tonga with three out of three - he is the man in the saddle.
RASSIE WEIGHS IN
The real question comes down to how much the Boks feel they need to gamble on Pollard, who is edging his way back to match fitness, against Libbok’s goal-kicking worries?
From the comments made by Erasmus in the team’s debriefing on Monday, it certainly sounded as if the case for Libbok was made to carry on in the starting role.
"Unfortunately for Handre it's only the one game he has played. Manie had proved himself the way he has played in general play for us. Handre made four kicks and Manie three kicks so we kicked seven out of seven. It's a tough call we will have to make. If we go five-three, maybe both can be in the mix. If we go six-two it's a possibility, if we go seven-one then things might look a little different.
"Internally, we will only announce team (if in quarterfinals) next Sunday, then as quick as we can in the test match week. On Saturday, after the Scotland v Ireland game we will know exactly who we will play. If we are in first place we play the following Saturday, if second we play the next Sunday so we will have a seven day turnaround."
Erasmus went a step further when asked about Libbok’s time management with the shot clock - that he may be rushing some of his kicks - and lauded Libbok for his attacking game at the same time.
BETTER ATTACKING GAME
"I won't take any credit with that. If somebody helped him it would be 'Stokke' (Mzwandile Stick, assistant coach). We know it's a nice talking point and (kicking) wins games. Yes, it true.
"But tries also wins games and the way we play is to try and score tries. I really think we have been attacking much better, like the country has asked us to do and the supporters are always wanting us to be more creative and not just have this kicking game.
"Manie brings that to us. He certainly has worked hard with Handre and maybe it's Handre who gave him a tip or two. I don't think the shot clock was ever an issue with him and Manie is a very interesting character when it comes to something like that.
"It doesn't bother him for the rest of his game and that is something special to have. It would be nice to have him on the park for that general play and if he is on song and fantastic with his kicking, but somebody else who can back him up if he does have a bad day."
POSER WITH AM’S RETURN
That also brings us back to Am returning to camp after injury this week. Before the World Cup, the mercurial midfielder was a shoo-in in the starting line-up for the Boks but have things moved on since he has been away?
Much will depend on how sharp he is coming back from the knee injury sustained against Argentina in Buenos Aires and how the Bok management feel he is in terms of his recovery.
While recovering from the injury is one thing, the Boks use their own systems to determine when a player is ready to return, as they’ve frequently explained in terms of Pollard’s return.
And with Jesse Kriel doing a sterling job in the midfield in his absence, and Damian de Allende and Andre Esterhuizen pushing each other hard for the 12 jersey, it begs the question of whether Am will play a back-up role or be shunted back into the starting line-up.
Again much of that depends on where he is in terms of sharpness. Am possesses much more nuance on attack and individual brilliance than the workhorse that is Kriel, but the latter has done little to warrant being dropped and has been excellent in marshalling the Boks’ defence throughout the build-up to the World Cup and in the campaign itself.
To have Am’s versatility and his midas touch back in the squad is a celebration in itself, but it may be that he has to - at least initially - play a back-up role depending on the opposition.
The Boks - as Erasmus said - will make that decision when they know who they play next - but it would be a surprise to see Am leapfrog others in the squad on his return.