By Brenden Nel
This is no Springbok B team. Nor is it a team that is an experiment. This is a team that the Springbok management believe can beat a desperate Wales side in the second test in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
That was the strong message from Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber after he made 14 changes and named a virtual second Springbok side for the second test.
Eben Etzebeth is the only survivor in the starting line-up, while Vincent Koch, Malcolm Marx and Damian Willemse are on the bench from the Loftus Versfeld victory.
And while the reaction may be radical, Nienaber has made it clear that he wants to see these players play under pressure, and a Welsh team desperate to try and save the series is the perfect test for these players.
Nienaber was asked straight if this was a Bok B team, and while he said he wouldn’t take offence if people thought that, the players certainly would.
“I don’t think I would take offence but I think Eben and Handre would take offence. And other players would take offence. You must remember when I say we select a team, we say we want to keep momentum and our main thing is to win, “Nienaber explained
“That is our biggest strategic objective to win. We pick a side because we believe they can beat Wales. It will be a nice test and you may say ‘why don’t you wrap up the series and give the guys a go in the last test?’ – but you want to see how these guys go under pressure.
“Because if we are going to take them to a World Cup, if they are going to play against New Zealand, they must be able to play under pressure. When you wrap up a series sometimes there is no pressure, and it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, because the series is wrapped up.
“These players are playing – it will be a final for them, as it will be a final for Wales.Wales didn’t just come here to compete, they came here to win a series. They are now playing for survival and that will be our challenge – facing a team that is playing for survival.
“You want to see if these players are able to perform under that pressure and we selected them because we think they can.
Taking the side to the World Cup means that anyone in the current squad needs to be backed if they are needed in a big game or a World Cup final. This only happens when players are placed under pressure and the Bok management knows that.
While some may see the move as radical, it is a team that is made up of several stars who are in form – either in the URC or for their clubs overseas – and it is a chance for them to put their hands up and push for places on a more regular basis.
The Boks did something similar in 2019 against Australia before the World Cup and against Argentina last year after the British and Irish Lions series. On both occasions their gamble paid off and the players put on a performance worthy of the jersey.
This weekend it is no different and while there are six debutants, they are being backed to perform.
Nienaber discussed the plan with the players when they assembled and this was always going to be the team that played in the second test, and the win in the first test meant they didn’t have to deviate from their plan.
“The team that played on Saturday made it possible. Like I said we had a plan with all 42 players in the squad. We told them about the plan from day one, and everyone knew about the plan but you obviously don’t know if you can execute it, so obviously the win on Saturday gave us the opportunity, “Nienaber said.
“If you look at the guys who are deemed new – and there are some “old-new” guys like an Andre (Esterhuizen) who has been part of us before and a Marcell (Coetzee) and Warrick (Gelant). They have been part of us before but they are getting back into the mix again and starting a test match.
“So I think there is a little bit of a blend of players who are not completely new and then the debutants. I think we tried to get a blend of experience of players who have been in there before and have played for us a lot. There are guys who were part of the squad who played for us in 2019 at the World Cup and then the new guys.
“The guys who are in, who haven’t been part of us in previous tests, are definitely a form team.”
Nienaber pointed out that France also left a number of players at home against Japan and this was the time to try out something different.
“I would say we wanted to tick a couple of boxes. I don’t think it is unique and it is only us – if you look at the team and people will ask why you would make so many changes. If you look at France, it is not a B side playing in Japan, there is experience and there are players who have been left behind.
“If you look at what Wales did in the last game against Italy, there was six or seven changes in that game alone. They didn’t disrespect Italy at all, but if they beat Italy they could have ended third in the Six Nations. There was also a chance to give some guys a go and some of them are now playing against us. That gave some answers to their staff.
“It is not a unique situation, we had this planned, the players knew about it and the victory on Saturday made it possible.”