The world’s best player - playing out of position? That’s something that may well take place during Sunday’s one-off test against the Wallabies, as coach Rassie Erasmus looks to novel ways of trying to outfox the Wallaby threat at the breakdown.
The Boks got a taste of their World Cup base this week ahead of the one-off test, and then made 13 changes from the side that beat the All Blacks in Baltimore, giving the extended squad members a start for this game against the Wallabies as they look to further entrench depth.
But Malcolm Marx, last year’s World Player of the Year, and a leading contender for this year’s title as well, may well end up on the flank during the game, as Erasmus experiments with new and varied positions.
This is nothing new for the Bok boss, but it will raise eyebrows when it happens, as Marx is so valuable for this Bok side and there is no clear successor.
While Johan Grobbelaar will start this weekend in the two jersey, Jan-Hendrik Wessels has been earmarked for the hooking role in future, and Erasmus has used Deon Fourie, who turns 40 this month, for the All Black tests. Last season he used Marnus van der Merwe, who is now playing for Munster, in the position as well.
WHO IS MARX'S BACK-UP?
The lack of a permanent second hooker may be a concern to many, but not to Erasmus, who also knows that Bongi Mbonambi is working hard to get back to full fitness and can also play a role for the Bok side.
And while Erasmus hasn’t said Marx will play a role at flank, he hinted at it when talking about the responsibilities of Grobbelaar and Wessels during the game, especially as both of them have not had that much game time in the past month.
“Most of the guys haven't played a lot this season. Marco (van Staden) hasn't, Herschel (Jantjies) hasn't, Elrigh (Louw) hasn't. Paul (de Villiers) has played three games, Franco (Mostert) hasn't at all, Zachary (Porthen) has played three games, Grobbie's played two games, Jan-Hendrik four games, Edwill (van der Merwe) no games, Aphelele (Fassi) one game,” Erasmus said about the team selection.
“So we're giving guys who've been working very hard with us for 16 weeks... an opportunity. They helped carry us through the All Blacks series and painted good pictures of what being that calibre of player looks like for us. Then we've got the guys on the bench, except maybe [one], who really had a good run during the All Blacks tests.
MOVEMENTS EXPLAINED
“So we basically swap guys around. Jan-Hendrik has played for us previously against Australia, Grobbie has started for us against Australia - so most of these guys know [the opposition]. Jan-Hendrik is a nice swing option. He can play one and two for you. In this specific game, we feel we're giving him a chance.
“Deon Fourie has always been solid for us - we felt that after he played so well in a recent match against the All Blacks, what he could bring to the team knowledge-wise, character-wise, leadership-wise would mean a hell of a lot during the New Zealand series, and he certainly did.
“But him playing three or four tests in a row at the age of 39, Grobbies deserves a chance now. Even later in the game, if [something comes up], Jan-Hendrik might move to hooker - we've also been trying Malcolm on the flank a little bit.
“So we're trying to save and spare the bodies and manage the guys while winning, but while building squad depth and getting caps into certain guys where we feel we're going to need them at the World Cup. It's a combination of things.”
TWO FETCHERS TO COUNTER WALLABY THREAT
Erasmus also said the combination of Marco van Staden and Paul de Villiers was primarily expected to counter the breakdown threat that the Wallabies pose.
“I know you guys probably get a bit frustrated with me, but you only scrum at No 8. In our coaching opinion, you must have one tall loose forward - if that tall loose forward is Elrigh Louw and the other two are shorter guys, one plays to the ground, the other is a good carrier,” Erasmus explained.
“If you play with Siya (Kolisi) and Jasper [Wiese], and Jasper doesn't jump in the lineout, and Siya doesn't jump in the lineout, Pieter-Steph [du Toit] jumps in the lineout. So if seven gets injured, Franco Mostert will probably go to seven, André might go to six, someone might go to inside centre, or Jasper might go to eight. So for us there's not a specific role for the eighth man apart from scrumming at eight. In the lineouts the taller loose forward jumps or contests, and you seldom get two lineout jumpers there.
“So it's physically: can he do the job for us on the scrums? Apart from that, the guy's got a different role on attack, defence, the kicking game and the breakdown — it is a team that can really contest at the breakdown. If you take Grobbies, Jan-Hendrik, Zach, Paul, Marco, Elrigh, Jasper if he comes on, André Esterhuizen - the breakdown battle is going to be massive, and Marco will have a massive impact there too.
“Guys like [Fraser] McReight in their team can really disrupt the defensive breakdown - they're really good at that - and hopefully Marco can help sort that out for us.”
The Boks will expect a tough reception from the Wallabies, who are still finding their feet under new coach Les Kiss and have won a series away against Argentina in the last month.