Confident Springboks will target Irish scrum

SOUTH AFRICAN coach Jake White has targeted Ireland’s scrum as a possible weakness ahead of Saturday’s Lansdowne Road test.

White expressed confidence that the Springboks, despite their scare at the Millennium Stadium at the weekend, can take another step towards winning a tour Grand Slam. Ireland, he suggested, would have a stronger lineout but he doesn’t think their scrummaging will be any better than Wales, after studying them in depth throughout the summer series won 2-0 by South Africa.

White also believes it is in his favour that Ireland will play their first test of the 2004/05 season on Saturday.

“The Boks were not sharp against Wales because it’s been three weeks since some of the players had game time. Ireland may have a similar problem. We did not play as well as we can against Wales because it has been quite a while since we have been together as a team.

“The Boks are not yet as experienced as other test teams, but very few of our players have lost at any level against Ireland. Why should we be afraid of the Irish players? I have no doubt that we will be sharper against them than we were against Wales,” said White.

The tourists’ coach could spring a surprise at fly-half after Jaco van der Westhuyzen’s participation was put in doubt with a hand injury.

White will give Van der Westhuyzen as much time as possible to recover and may go as far as naming him in the team.

However, if the out-half is not fit to play then the Tri-Nations champions may go the radical route.

Van der Westhuyzen saw a hand specialist on Saturday night after badly injuring his right middle finger in the Test against Wales, and will only know how much damage has been done once the swelling has gone down. There was visible concern in the Bok camp surrounding the injury but White said that the “obvious choice” of either back-up flyhalves Gaffie du Toit or Brent Russell may not be the answer.

White would not divulge more, but if he decides against Du Toit, Russell or even Percy Montgomery as a possible replacement, there are few other choices that won’t be seen as a gamble.

Utility back Jaque Fourie may be considered, but for now the Boks are hoping that Van der Westhuyzen will be fit.

White has also declined to fly in either Willem de Waal or Andre Pretorius from Argentina, as they will arrive too late to be of use this weekend.

The Bok coach said the team would have “to make do with what we have.”

White said that he still had to consult with his assistants Allister Coetzee and Gert Smal before he made a decision.

“I’m not going to go with the obvious choice I’m not going to give too much away. But I’ve got an idea which might work,” White added.

“I obviously have to talk to Allister and Gert about it, but I’ve also got Gaffie and Brent and they are the most obvious. But I don’t know if that’s what we need right now. I can move Monty to flyhalf, but I thought he played well at full-back and he understands the defensive pattern.”

“To defend the way we do, you always need the last guy to tell the guys when to go and when to wait.”

The Boks will name their team today.