Boks to start with exciting Libbok, Williams
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has given an interesting view into how the first two games of the international season may have impacted on his thinking by going back to nine of the team that started the first match of the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.
Duane Vermeulen captained the side that beat Australia 43-12 in the opener in Pretoria and he will do so again when the Boks complete their Championship program against Argentina in Johannesburg on Saturday. In all there are also nine changes to the side that lost 35-20 to the All Blacks in Auckland 11 days ago, with props Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe going into their third game as members of the starting team but Malcolm Marx making a welcome appearance in the No2 jersey.
Perhaps the most exciting feature of the team is the pairing of Grant Williams and Manie Libbok at halfback. This is the first start for Cell C Sharks scrumhalf Williams, who has brought excellent impact with his attacking game later in the piece in both of the last two matches. Libbok gets a chance to back up his outstanding showing in his first start in the No10 a few weeks ago at Loftus.
In other changes Jesse Kriel comes in at outside centre for his first game of the season, with Lukhanyo Am reverting to the bench, and as anticipated, Kurt-Lee Arendse replaces Makazole Mapimpi on the left wing and will get a chance to add to the 10 tries he has scored in just eight appearances for his country.
Lock Marvin Orie, formerly Stormers but headed to France next season, is back in the second row ahead of Lood de Jager, who was not great against New Zealand. RG Snyman plays his third successive game as second row back up on the bench.
There are another three warm-up games to go after this before the Boks kick off their World Cup campaign against Scotland on 8 September so perhaps it would be unwise to read too much into the selection. Nienaber and national director of rugby Rassie Erasmus would have planned the season and some of the selections would have been scripted before the Championship kick off and not be impacted by form.
But the recall of Vermeulen and the two fellow back row members that excelled against the Wallabies, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Marco van Staden, does look like a form selection. The skipper and Du Toit look likely starters at the World Cup, but Van Staden can edge himself into consideration as back-up for the currently injured regular captain Siya Kolisi with another performance like the one he produced in his first start two and a half weeks ago.
With Marx coming into the starting team and Libbok and Williams at halfback, it certainly looks like a team geared for attacking, high tempo rugby. Regular scrumhalf Faf de Klerk is on the bench but this could be an opportunity for Williams to show what can be achieved in an attacking sense by the inclusion of his snappy service and incisive play around the fringes.
Libbok replaces his Stormers teammate Damian Willemse, who was playing his first game at flyhalf since November when he played against the All Blacks. He is on the bench for the Emirates Airlines Park game so it will be interesting to see if he comes onto the field as a flyhalf replacement for Libbok or as a fullback replacement for Willie le Roux. The No15 jersey might well be a better fit for him if he is to start at the World Cup.
Saturday’s game will be the first of the international season for France based prop Trevor Nyakane and it is interesting to note that he appears to be backing up loosehead. Like Thomas du Toit, who played that role in the previous two games, Nyakane can play on both sides of the scrum.
Springbok team to play Argentina: Willie le Roux, Cheslin Kolbe, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Manie Libbok, Grant Williams, Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Marco van Staden, Marvin Orie, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff.
Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Lukhanyo Am, Damian Willemse.
