JACQUES NIENABER HAS explained why the Springboks have moved away from the 6/2 bench split which served them so well during the 2019 World Cup for Saturday’s opening Test against the Lions.
South Africa’s ‘bomb squad’ of six replacement forwards proved a key part of their World Cup success in Japan, but the Boks have gone with a bench of five forwards and three backs for this weekend’s game in Cape Town.
And South Africa head coach Nienaber says the move is one based out of necessity given the lack of game-time some of the Springboks players have had in the lead-up to the Test series.
A number of Springbok players were forced to self-isolate following cases of Covid in the South Africa camp, with Nienaber singling out starting out-half Handre Pollard and winger Makazole Mapimpi, who only returned to squad training on Monday, as concerns.
“Obviously, we will go with a 6/2 split if it’s available to us and if we feel confident,” Nienaber said.
“But Handre hasn’t played a lot, he’s just come back from Covid, Mapimi the same. So I think we just thought that it’s probably not the right time to just go with two backs on the bench.
“We felt in this specific game it wasn’t an opportunity for us.
“Maybe some player is carrying a niggle, and you are not 100% confident he would last the 80 minutes, then you would probably not go for the 6/2 split – let’s say you have a back that you are doubtful about, or maybe struggling with confidence or whatever.
“One to 15 starting has got a specific role to play. The moment they don’t fulfil that role any more due to being tired, or due to Covid, or not having been exposed to rugby for some time, that’s when we will make a substitution.”
Nienaber also explained why the Springboks moved their team announcement forward by a day, insisting there are no mind games at play.
The Springboks had been due to name their matchday squad on Wednesday, but moved the announcement forward by a day, with the starting XV revealed earlier today, two days before Warren Gatland is due to name his Lions team for the first Test.
“From a logistical perspective, the team knew the team on Monday,” Nienaber said.
“Irrespective if we announce it on a Wednesday or a Tuesday, the players knew the 23 on Monday. There was a couple of players that were bracketed to make sure everybody got through the first training session.
“We are as transparent as we can be with the players. We felt moving it earlier was easier to get it out the way once we are comfortable with the team we are going to go to.
“There is not any strategic thinking, in terms of bringing it a day forward. The players knew already, so we could just as well put it out to the public.”
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