Div’s midfield conundrum
7 Jul 2010
Peter de Villiers needs to strike a balance between giving his World Cup centre-pairing game-time and developing an alternative combination.
The Springbok coach surprised a few pundits when he selected four centres in the group to tour Australasia. The lack of top-class wings suggested that Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie would provide cover in this area, and judging by the formation on the training field this week, De Villiers should pip Gio Aplon for the No 14 jersey.
The Stormers centre won the 2004 Tri-Nations wearing No 11. Will he win the 2010 tournament wearing No 14? It’s an interesting selection ahead of the Eden Park Test, and a selection that could have repercussions a year out from the 2011 World Cup.
De Villiers excelled at wing in his debut season for the Boks, but has become the side’s best No 12 option in the last five years. More than his individual contributions has been his ability to organise the backline on attack and defence, and while flyhalves like Ruan Pienaar and Morne Steyn have benefited from Fourie du Preez playing scrumhalf, they have surely benefited from the experience of De Villiers at inside centre.
De Villiers won the SA Player of the Year award in 2008, as well as the Players’ Player accolade. He carried that form through to the 2009 British & Irish Lions series as well as the Tri-Nations. As one of the senior players, he’s usually one of the first players selected when the coaching staff make such decisions ahead of a big Test.
The 29-year-old is a key player, but as history confirms, you have to be prepared for the loss of your key players.
An injury ruled out De Villiers in the build up to the 2003 World Cup, and a torn bicep cut him down in the first fixture of the 2007 tournament. In the latter competition, Jake White’s side was able to cope because they had a worthy alternative in Frans Steyn. In the build up to 2011, Peter de Villiers needs to ensure Wynand Olivier can provide the same sort of impact.
By virtue of his Super 14 performances, Olivier is a worthy recipient of the Bok No 12 jersey. He’s bulked up in the off season and added a physicality to his game that troubled the best players in that tournament.
But when it comes to Olivier, there has always been doubt over his ability at Test level. The Boks smashed France recently, but Olivier was exposed on defence. It wasn’t a physical failing, but rather his decision making that came into question, as too often a midfield mix-up led to the French exploiting an overlap.
Olivier didn’t start the next two games against Italy, but is in line to front the All Blacks at Eden Park. This could be Olivier’s dress rehearsal for the World Cup. The pressure’s certainly on the Bulls midfielder. Playing at the All Blacks’ fortress, in a country that will host next year’s global tournament. Time to shine.
He has the benefit of playing alongside Bulls team-mate Morne Steyn, but needs to use this opportunity to develop his partnership with Fourie. It should help that the Boks have two experienced wings, if you can call De Villiers a wing, to help on defence, but the likes of Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith will surely see Olivier’s channel as a potential weak-point. He’s the man under pressure, and the All Blacks will want to exploit that.
Of course, Olivier’s possible success in Auckland could present another problem for the Bok coach. How can he change a winning combination when the Boks are on the verge of back-to-back wins in New Zealand? Leave Olivier at centre and De Villiers on the wing? If the Boks win this Saturday, it seems a safe strategy, but thereafter management may have to start juggling their options.
De Villiers needs an extended opportunity alongside Fourie at this level after being denied opportunities at 12 in the initial Tests. The two players will pair up in the Stormers’ 2011 Super 15 campaign, but as many a wise man has often said, Super Rugby ain’t Test rugby. Give De Villiers and Fourie a few more chances to grow against the best the All Blacks and Wallabies have to offer.
De Jongh may be utilised later in the tournament, and if they want to be fair to the 22-year-old, management should play him in his favourite position of 13. He formed a solid partnership alongside Fourie in the recent Super 14, but, according to his own coaches at the Stormers, he still has much to learn about the intricacies of 12 play.
It may pay to experiment with Olivier and De Jongh as a starting combination on the end-of-year tour, but for now, Peter de Villiers should be looking at the crucial 12 position and whether Olivier has what it takes to beat the best.
Olivier’s World Cup trial begins at Eden Park this Saturday. His success or failure in this year’s Tri-Nations will determine whether the Boks go into the 2011 World Cup with one quality 12 option or two.
By Jon Cardinelli
417 Comments
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8 Jul 2010, 02:31 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-400: we are going to have a nation be a first time winner for the first ever WC in Africa, quite fitting really..
8 Jul 2010, 02:34 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-401: never thought of that, yeah it’s good to see that at least one of these two will finally take it home. I await octopussy’s prediction with interest
8 Jul 2010, 02:39 am
Team announced
Zane Kirchner, Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Ricky Januarie, Pierre Spies, Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Jannie du Plessis, John Smit (captain), Gurthro Steenkamp.
Reserves: Chiliboy Ralepelle, BJ Botha, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Butch James, Gio Aplon.
What the **** is that coach thinking. Why is Olivier starting when you have JdV or JdJ available? Why is he breaking up two successful combinations? This team has many weak links, Januarie, Olivier, de Villiers on wing, Kirchner, du Plessis (the weak brother).
Jaque and Olivier never combine well.
Glad Botha is fit though.
8 Jul 2010, 02:40 am
Oh and Butch James on bench? Retarded.
8 Jul 2010, 02:44 am
Olivier will probably be in to stop Nonu. He’s brave going with Kirchner and imo Januarie is a poor call.
Bench looks decent, lot of experience and form players.
8 Jul 2010, 02:45 am
interesting team. No idea why you have one of the best centers in the world playing wing, but should be interesting.
8 Jul 2010, 02:48 am
@Kiwisamoan(Kiwisamoan)-406: injury issues on the wing I think, JP Pietersen is injured as is Nokwe and they perhaps didn’t want to risk Aplon’s defence right away.
8 Jul 2010, 03:09 am
Dis Wynand se laaste kans
8 Jul 2010, 03:23 am
I think PDV has got it right. Experience over youth except in the full back position where due to his own nonsnes he has limited his options. Experinece is needed to get the first win under the belt. A test in Auckland agianst an experienced line up is no place for rookies.
Remember he can always swith JDV to centre if Olivier fails to fire and put Gio on the wing.
This selection is 100% spot on.
6,7 and 8 – you just won’t get better.
Ricky – OK not the greatest but his last tests have been very good and as you know he likes playing against the All Blacks
8 Jul 2010, 04:12 am
At this stage last season Bok team had no weaknesses. Obvious weak links tomorrow are Papsak 2-step behind the scrums and fumbling Sideshow Bob at fullback.
All Blacks will prey on our weaknesses on Saturday.
Ricky and Zane – your day of reckoning has come.
8 Jul 2010, 08:19 am
dumb coaching fraternity along with the senior player coaches are besotted by the bully bumkin balderdash mesmerizing bullsh’t and they simply can’t think out the box. They mesmerized by the false sense of security that Bulls rugby is supreme so they pray on podsols like Botha Olivier Kirchner instead of going with youth and class of Van der Merwe De Jongh and Aplon. They going to see their gatte here it comes. Kiss the overrated Bok regime supremacy goodbye its gone this weekend. Olivier Kirchner and Botha will show the way out.
8 Jul 2010, 09:20 am
@skopskiet(yliad)-411: Proceed directly to Eskom and let them plug a cable into your ***. That dark energy cooking in your crazed and rabid mind would solve the country`s energy crisis.
8 Jul 2010, 09:37 am
Not wild at all about Div’ shaboit of playing guys out of position…WO for JDV at center, are you kidding me???? If he’s so obsessed with blondie he shoul dhave played him on wing and let Jacque and KJean do their thing in midfield. Zane at fullback makes me very nervous too…not too worried about Ricky, he’s there for his proven ability to get under Danny boy’s skin.
Fos somemone as thick-skinned as Div he’s been remarkably touchy about Frans…how many coahces in the world would pick Kirchner over F.Steyn?? The AB’s must be helluva relieved
8 Jul 2010, 09:37 am
shaboit = habit
8 Jul 2010, 23:18 pm
Its interesting that if we do swing teh ball down the line, at least one of the inside centres are going to be freed up as a playmaker for the next line movement. You will priobably see them swapping during the game, depending whether we are going left or right.
Both of them big, and both of them pretty good at the breakdown to secure ball and maybe win some. I reckon thats the reasonaing behind it.
8 Jul 2010, 23:23 pm
The Kiwis have a light five lthe same as what the STormers have had for years
9 Jul 2010, 03:02 am
@SjamBok(SjamBok)-415: small problem is that neither of the ICs are particularly good at play-making
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