Vodacom Bulls flyhalf Johan Goosen has the inside track on the Springbok number 10 position after it was confirmed that neither Handre Pollard nor Elton Jantjies would be considered for the Springboks November tour of Europe.
Goosen was named as the only specialist 10 for a training camp that begins in Stellenbosch on Sunday while utility backs Damian Willemse and Frans Steyn will also be likely candidates for the test matches in November.
At a Springbok briefing, SA Rugby’s Director of Coaching Rassie Erasmus confirmed that Jantjies would not be considered for the end of year tour because he had not played enough rugby.
“We agreed that Elton could return home in the Rugby Championship because of the personal reporting on him,” Erasmus said, “We would allow him to go back home so that he could handle that personal reporting, we didn’t know what was true and what was not true, so he did that.
“Since then he hasn’t played any rugby and for us to select him, when we haven’t seen him play is difficult. We would love to compare him to other flyhalves, and as you know we keep roadmaps for all players but we couldn’t keep a roadmap on him, so he will not be up for selection.”
Pollard had undergone an operation on his knee injury and according to Bok coach Jacques Nienaber, he was unlikely to be ready in time to tour with the Springboks.
“Handre had an op after the Tigers game and is now in rehab,” Nienaber said, “He has to undergo his return to play rehab and the latest news we have is that it will be tough for him to make the tour.”
Nienaber said while he knew there was a big public debate currently on who should play 10, the Boks would revert to the players that had been within their preparations during the international season.
“There is a big debate about flyhalf right now but we have Handre and Elton, and then Damian (Willemse) stepped up for us nicely and started the last couple of games at 10. In the last game, we used Frans Steyn and at the alignment camps, we had Johan Goosen with us. He was with us in the preparation camp before the Wales series, and was recovering then from injury and has a bit to go now.
“That’s probably five flyhalves I’ve mentioned now, and Rassie has mentioned we are watching the good performances in the URC and there are a number of flyhalves we are keeping our eye on.”
Nienaber did add that the Boks are “comfortable” with the options they currently have.
“Not having Handre and Elton, we are comfortable with Damian, who has proven himself and with Johan there it is good because he falls in our programme but there are younger guys pushing hard for spots.”
While there may be eyebrows raised at Frans Steyn’s absence from the squad for the training camp, Erasmus explained the Boks knew what they had in Steyn and felt it wasn’t necessary to invite him to a training camp.
The Boks will continue to manage him to get the best out of him.
Players invited to Stellenbosch training camp:
Props:Thomas du Toit (Cell C Sharks), Steven Kitshoff, Frans Malherbe (both DHL Stormers), Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks)
Hookers:Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks)
Locks:Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers)
Loose Forwards:Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Siya Kolisi (Cell C Sharks), Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls), Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs)
Utility Forwards:Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
Scrumhalves:Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks)
Flyhalf:Johan Goosen (Vodacom Bulls)
Centres:Jesse Kriel (Yokohama Canon Eagles), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights)
Outside backs:Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls), Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz), Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks), Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls), Sbu Nkosi (Vodacom Bulls)
Utility back:Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers)