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“Everything that has a beginning has an end,” were the words of Agent Smith to Neo in Matrix Revolutions. And so we come to the end of the Springbok candidates Heyneke Meyer will consider at the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
When looking at the back three positions there aren’t that many players to consider. Meyer was not very experimental in this area over the past three seasons.
Willie le Roux is one of the most exciting fullbacks in world rugby. It is largely due to him that the Springbok backline showed more creativity in recent times, being able to find space between and behind defences. Without him the Springbok backline is very predictable.
Le Roux has proven that he understands when to delay a pass and get his support runner into space. He has an uncanny ability to read what is in front of him and can make decisions on the fly. He has an eye for a gap and the acceleration necessary to hit through it. He can offload or find the open spaces with a well-executed chip kick too.
He is not without his faults though, defensively he can be questionable and while his ability under the high ball has improved it is by no means consistent.
His performances in general can be inconsistent, or should I say error-ridden, but with any measure of risk there is a potential for errors to occur. Generally this is because he is trying too much, but it is understandable when things aren’t going South Africa’s way that he wants to be the game breaker.
Bryan Habana is the best winger is South Africa. He has the feel and anticipation for the intercept, his workrate and ability to support the ball carrier is unparalleled, and finishing moves with pace to burn shows he is still a world-class winger.
Habana is also one of the best defensive wings in world rugby. Not only does he rarely miss a tackle, but his ability to get onto his feet and contest the ruck is of high quality.
This will be his last World Cup, and his experience will be invaluable. Without Habana the back three look decidedly bland.
Although JP Pietersen is only 28 years old, he has been to two World Cups and has the necessary experience Meyer requires. Strong in the tackle, Pietersen has the ability to break the line, offload and is deceptively quicker than he looks. Defensively he is one of the most solid wingers in world rugby.
Capped for South Africa 59 times and having crossed the whitewash 18 times, Pietersen may not be as prolific a finisher as Habana, yet he will be a valuable member of the Springbok squad.
However conditioning is a concern, as Pietersen has not looked in great form the last two seasons.
Cornal Hendricks came onto the scene with a bang for South Africa, scoring a handful of tries in his first eight Test matches. At 1.89 metres and 90 kilograms, Hendricks is physical enough to break the tackles, while possessing a good step and enough pace to fly down the sideline. In attack he is an exciting prospect.
However it is his defensive frailties and hesitation under the high ball that should be of great concern. This is one area of his play which opponents will exploit and considering the nature of finals rugby, these facets have to be improved if he wants to be a regular starter come the Wold Cup.
Sadly, there isn’t much else to talk about. Meyer really only has these four players to consider for selection, and again as with the midfield, he is gambling that these four will be ready, fit and able to participate.
I will finish the series with a summary, discuss game plans, and touch on weaknesses and strengths for the Springboks.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.