Just like the namesake of his starting hooker on Saturday, Jacques Nienaber is looking to redistribute game-time like wealth among his people after selecting his match-day 23 to face Argentina.
Revealing his team for the Pumas clash at Ellis Park (5.05pm kickoff) in the final Rugby Championship match of the season, Nienaber explained that Malcolm Marx will receive a rare start in the No 2 jumper.
There has been some serious debate in recent weeks regarding the role of the 29-year-old and his teammate Bongi Mbonambi, and who should be the first-choice hooker with the World Cup in mind.
Both Marx and Mbonambi have merits for selection, with the latter the preferred starting No 2. Saturday will be Marx’s seventh start in 28 outings since 2019, according to Rugby Pass the last time he did so against Ireland in late 2022.
Yesterday, from their digs in Pretoria, Nienaber stressed that Marx’s selection – one of nine changes to the team – is to ensure that all the squad members have put in the time on the field ahead of the defence of the Webb Ellis Cup in September.
“In terms of hooker and the other positions, like the ‘Bomb Squad’, if you look at the amount of game-time that Bongi has had, he has probably had a little bit more minutes and Test match exposure than what Malcolm has had,” Nienaber said.
“We as a group know that defending the World Cup will take a squad effort. Our challenge is to spread that load between the squad.
“We don’t want to go cold into Scotland in that first game of the World Cup (on September 10) with one or two guys having most of the match minutes.
“If you pick up an injury or two, you are bringing in a guy that is cold who hasn’t been a part of you.
“That is the balance that we would like to have. We don’t want one guy taking 80 percent of the minutes, and the other guy not getting a lot of opportunity.”
By that admission, it would seem that Joseph Dweba could be in action next weekend in a warm-up Test against the self-same opposition.
Marx and Mbonambi, barring injury, will surely be named on August 8 when the World Cup squad is announced, leaving Dweba and possibly Deon Fourie in the mix as the third-choice No 2.
“Obviously, the guys that haven’t had exposure yet, it would be nice to give them a go in the next couple of games that we have left,” Nienaber said.
“There are a lot of things that will determine that – momentum, form, injuries and stuff like that.”
There seems to be an inkling of that philosophy in the match-day 23 for Saturday’s clash. Jesse Kriel, fresh off suspension will start at No 13, while Kurt-Lee Arendse and Marco van Staden have been recalled.
Trevor Nyakane – who last played for the Boks against Wales in November last year – will also make an appearance off the bench.
Grant Williams, largely rumoured to be a World Cup bolter due to his utility, makes a first start in the green and gold after a handful of noteworthy cameos.
It will be a largely inexperienced halfback pairing, as Williams is only three Tests deep into his international career and will slot in alongside Manie Libbok, who will earn his sixth cap on the day. “That is probably one of the strengths of our squad,” Nienaber explained.
“If you look at the team, if you look at the pack, there is some good experience there, even with the guys coming off the bench.
“Yes, Grant is on three Tests, and it is his first start, but experience is our job to give him during the week and to give him as much exposure of what he is going to get on Saturday.
“He must be happy and comfortable in his role that he has to fulfil, so that he doesn’t have to think about that and can just bring out his natural, given talents and the thing that makes him special.”
Springbok team
15 Willie le Roux 14 Cheslin Kolbe 13 Jesse Kriel 12 Damian de Allende 11 KurtLee Arendse 10 Manie Libbok 9 Grant Williams 8 Duane Vermeulen (captain) 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit 6 Marco van Staden 5 Marvin Orie 4 Eben Etzebeth 3 Frans Malherbe 2 Malcolm Marx 1 Steven Kitshoff
Bench: 16 Bongi Mbonambi 17 Trevor Nyakane 18 Vincent Koch 19 Kwagga Smith 20 RG Snyman 21 Faf de Klerk 22 Lukhanyo Am 23 Damian Willemse
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