Springboks name all four scrum-halves in matchday squad for Romania tie

South Africa Head Coach Jacques Nienaber. Pic Credit ©INPHO/James Crombie

South Africa have named not two, and not even three, but four scrum-halves in their matchday 23 for the World Cup Pool B meeting with Romania in Bordeaux this Sunday.

The choice of four nines in their 33-man squad was greeted with incredulity at the time but head coach Jacques Nienaber insisted it was no ruse and he has followed it up with another unorthodox selection for their second tournament outing.

It’s only last month since they name seven forwards on the bench but this may outdo it for novelty value.

Cobus Reinach start at scrum-half, Jaden Hendrikse provides cover off the bench, Grant Williams will run on the right wing and Faf de Klerk will provide flyhalf cover.

And there is no 6-2 split on the bench this time, but a 5-3 instead.

“People were surprised when we picked four scrum-halves in the squad but we knew they offered us the skills and versatility to provide backline options to manage the challenges that tournament rugby gives you,” said Nienaber.

“They are all excellent scrum-halves, but Grant and Cobus can play wing and Faf has experience at No.10 – as do Cheslin [Kolbe] and Willie [Le Rux]. We have the same versatility among our forwards.

“Grant played school rugby on the wing, and he has come on at wing before for us, so we are excited to give him this opportunity to start there and for him to gain international experience in the position.

“Faf is also one of our back up fly-halves in the squad, and the same applies to him, as it will be valuable for him and the team to get some game time in the position.

“We have been rotating and testing players in different positions since last season to put us in the fortunate position to have a group of 33 players in France that are closely matched in terms of their quality of play and skills, and who have been pushing one another for places in the last few months.

“It has allowed us to select a top-quality team for this match.”

Only one of the XV that started their opening win against Scotland does so again here but Damian Willemse will switch from full-back to No.10. Ireland fans will remember his iffy performance in the position in Dublin last November, including off the tee.

Canan Moodie and Munster’s Jean Kleyn are among the 14 new faces to be drafted on to the teamsheet.

Neither was available last week with slight niggles and 20-year Moodie returns to the midfield berth where he starred against the All Blacks in London in August.

All told, it’s a ferociously strong team and squad and on that, as Nienaber alluded to, is reflective of the strength-in-depth available to the Boks and to a fluid selection policy in recent times that was utilised with this very event in mind.

“This squad includes several Rugby World Cup winners and some of the best young talent in the country and we are excited to see what they can do,” said the head coach.

“Player management is vital as every game in the World Cup is essentially a play-off game, and it is important that our squad remains sharp and match fit throughout the competition.”

Ireland beat Romania 82-8 on the opening weekend and South Africa will be mindful of the fact that points difference could yet enter the equation in the event that Ireland were to beat them a week later and Scotland accounted for Andy Farrell’s team.

As four scrum-halves show, we should be open to the unexpected.

South Africa (v Romania): W Le Roux; G Williams, C Moodie, A Esterhuizen, M Mapimpi; D Willemse, C Reinach; O Nche, B Mbonambi, V Kock; J Kleyn, M Orie; M van Staden, K Smith, D Vermeulen.

Replacements: D Fourie, S Kitshoff, T Nyakane, RG Snyman, J Wiese, J Hendrikse, F de Klerk, J Kriel.