Playing there in URC will keep Willemse primed for Bok 12 role

The announcement of Rassie Erasmus’ latest Springbok squad told us that it is unlikely that the DHL Stormers duo of Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Damian Willemse will continue their starting roles in the 10/12 axis in the Castle Lager Rugby Championship clashes with Argentina.

Although Manie Libbok played much of the match as the flyhalf after the precociously talented Feinberg-Mngomezulu failed an HIA test, we saw enough when the pair were together in the key decision-making axis to see the potential of the partnership. With both capable of making split millisecond decisions and plays on the gainline, and with both having played at both 10 and 12, there is no denying what they could do for the Bok attacking potential.

With Libbok at pivot there’s a similar effect, and former Bok inside centre and captain Jean de Villiers, in his role as a Supersport studio analyst, was probably expressing the views of many when he said he’d like Willemse to continue with the No 12 on his back.

However, Willemse is a player who fits the versatility value that Erasmus rightly sets great store on, and most of his games have been played at fullback. And given that Aphelele Fassi, who started in the big win against the All Blacks in Wellington, is out of the squad because of injury, the decision to leave out veteran Willie le Roux telegraphs Erasmus’ intention to move Willemse back to fullback.

That was where Willemse started the last World Cup final and has played most of his rugby for the Boks. Apart from his potential to wear the No 12 jersey with distinction, Willemse is one of the top two Boks in the squad when Fassi is fit and he effectively revolved between those roles after Fassi left the field with a leg injury.

VERSATILITY BRINGS ADAPTABILITY

That versatility brings adaptability was writ large under the Sky Stadium lights as that is what enabled the Boks to ride through what would have been a storm for other teams as two key players had to be replaced. Libbok’s great game meant the Boks hardly missed a beat because of the departure of Feinberg-Mngomezulu while Andre Esterhuizen, who’d be a test centurion now if he played for any other country, was equally as good when he came on to allow Willemse to cover fullback.

Of course, Feinberg-Mngomezulu can also play fullback, and has been used there as a replacement by the Boks. Like Willemse, flyhalf, inside centre and fullback have always been positions he looks at home in. And given their aerial abilities, going for Canan Moodie, who was at outside centre in the 43-10 win last weekend, or Cheslin Kolbe wouldn’t be left field selections either. Kolbe started his senior career with Western Province with the No 15 on his back.

But with the Championship title on the line the remaining games in the southern hemisphere international competition might not be the time for more experimentation and Willemse at fullback and either Damian de Allende or Andre Esterhuizen taking up inside centre look the best options for the Boks against the Los Pumas in Durban and London.

PLAYING FULLBACK WON’T WILLEMSE’S CHANCES OF PLAYING 12

That though won’t hurt Willemse’s claim to the No 12 jersey for his career at franchise level has been the opposite in terms of what position he plays when compared to where he lines up on the international stage. He has played the odd game for the Stormers at fullback when Warrick Gelant has been out injured, and like at the Boks he has also occasionally played flyhalf, but it is the No 12 jersey he is most acquainted with at the Stormers.

He won the Vodacom United Rugby Championship for the Stormers in 2022 standing alongside Libbok, just like he did for parts of the Wellington game, and with Gelant bringing a unique attacking presence in the No 15 jersey for the Cape team, that is where he should play the bulk of his games in the coming URC season.

Willemse showed what he can do at international level at inside centre in Wellington and given that he plays much of the year in that position, it would be understandable if the Bok coach doesn’t feel the need to compromise himself in the position where Willemse has previously excelled at the Boks now that he’s lost Fassi.

There is arguably a lot more depth at inside centre than there is at fullback right now, with the Emirate Lions’ Quan Horn the only obvious alternative from outside of the current camp (that is assuming that Gelant, who was part of the Bok squad at the 2019 World Cup, no longer has international aspirations).

SERFONTEIN CAN USE URC TO ADD TO BOK OPTIONS

At inside centre there are several options which are bolstered by the versatility so prized by Erasmus. For instance, Feinberg-Mngomezulu at this point has probably still played more games for the Stormers in the midfield than at flyhalf.

And there’s another inside centre who could come into the frame in the URC season, with Jan Serfontein, so good when Allister Coetzee was the Bok coach, returning to the Vodacom Bulls for the forthcoming season. The star of the 2012 Junior Bok win at the Junior World Championship has been ignored by Erasmus since he took up his position in 2018 but maybe playing in France he was out of sight and out of mind. If he plays his best rugby for the Bulls in the coming months he may be less easy to ignore, although it would take a couple of injuries to bring him into the picture given how much depth there is in the position within the current squad.