Ken Borland

The Springboks will not be withdrawing from the Rugby Championship permanently, but with the tournament probably being played in the same late winter to spring window, they will not be deriving any battle-hardened preparedness from it ahead of the British and Irish Lions tour next year.

And that could be a problem for the world champions, according to former Springbok captain John Smit, who led South Africa to victory over the Lions in 2009.

The tourists will be in South Africa from the end of June to August 8, which will put pressure on SA Rugby to organise warm-up games for the Springboks once the Pro16 ends. SA Rugby president Mark Alexander said on Thursday that director of rugby Rassie Erasmus is busy lining up three or four games which will need WorldRugby permission.

“The absence of proper Test match action is going to be the biggest difficulty and the Springboks will have a new coach too even though Jacques Nienaber was obviously a big part of the system before. But we’ve had 13 Tests called off this year and a coach always worries that his team will be undercooked. There could also be an over-reliance on the 2019 group because of it.

“Franchise rugby will help, but Test rugby is a different level and the Springboks will need to be battle-hardened, so they will need warm-up games. We had one-and-a-half years after our World Cup win in 2007 to get into the groove and understand the Peter de Villiers way. The current Springboks have skipped a year, which is great for the body, but not so good for the systems or being battle-hardened,” Smit said on Thursday at FNB Stadium where the announcement of Castle Lager as the series sponsor was made.

Smit added that playing the Lions was when he felt under the most pressure as Springbok captain, the perihelion of his career.

“That week before the first Test was probably the most nervous I had ever been because you’re not sure what to expect and you know you’re up against formidable opponents. That’s why it’s so important to get the first ‘punch’ in. The ability to deal with the hype is so important and the current team have a bit of experience of that from Japan. But it’s really important that first week is good.

“Motivation will be at an all-time high and the uniqueness of the series adds to the hype. And beating the Lions is just becoming more and more of a challenge, they’ve beaten Australia and drawn with New Zealand in their last two series. The days of saying rugby in the North is not at the same level are over and both sides will have a massive amount to play for,” Smit said.

The Cheetahs are famous for the expansive, running rugby they can bring, but Sharks coach Sean Everitt has warned that the Free Staters also have some industrial-strength forward power that his team will need to combat in their Super Rugby Unlocked match at Kings Park on Friday night.

Playing at a high tempo is something the Sharks are comfortable with, but matching big, powerful packs in the set-pieces and the collisions has been something they have struggled with at times this year, and the Cheetahs will surely be aiming to use physicality as a weapon on Friday night.

“I think the Cheetahs are going to pose the same challenge up front as the Pumas and Bulls did. They have a lot of synergy in their lineout and scrum, so those are an obvious threat then. Plus with Frans Steyn at 12 it gives them a different dimension in terms of his kicking, carrying and his running from set-piece. We’re going to have to keep them out with really aggressive defence.

“The Cheetahs also like to maul a lot, from all areas of the field, but fortunately JJ van der Mescht was outstanding for us in that department against the Pumas – he pretty much stopped three mauls on his own. But I think the break will have motivated the Cheetahs, they won’t be happy about just getting two points against the Lions and they’ll be raring to go after that abandoned game and a bye,” Everitt said.

Despite dominating the Super Rugby competition at the start of the year, the Sharks have been taking baby steps since the return-to-play. Everitt showed patience by not prematurely throwing his toys out of the pram, but he believes his team are now settled and have laid the platform to now improve every week. He does not expect to see any more signs of rust from the Sharks.

“We’re no longer finding our feet, we’ve been together for a while now. Our confidence is back and we should be improving weekly now. I’m expecting a high-tempo game and we need guys who are going to have an impact, and I’m certain our bench will bring that and give us the opportunity to change the game if necessary. There’s healthy competition in our squad.

“But this competition as a whole is really strong and everyone has strengthened their squads since the start of the year. It’s been a great platform for South African rugby and every one of the our players knows they have the opportunity to get noticed now. We’ve settled in well now,” Everitt said.

Teams

Sharks: Manie Libbok, Yaw Penxe, Jeremy Ward, Marius Louw, Madosh Tambwe, Curwin Bosch, Sanele Nohamba, Phendulani Buthelezi, Henco Venter, Dylan Richardson, Hyron Andrews, JJ van der Mescht, John-Hubert Meyer, Dan Jooste, Ox Nche. Replacements – Kerron van Vuuren, Mzamo Majola, Michael Kumbirai, Ruben van Heerden, Thembelani Bholi, Sikhumbuzo Notshe, Grant Williams, Werner Kok.

Cheetahs: Clayton Blommetjies, Malcolm Jaer, William Small-Smith, Francois Steyn, Rosko Specman, Tian Schoeman, Tian Meyer, Aidon Davis, Junior Pokomela (captain), Andisa Ntsila, JP du Preez, Carl Wegner, Luan de Bruin, Reinach Venter, Charles Marais. Replacements – Jacques du Toit, Boan Venter, Khutha Mchunu, Oupa Mohoje, Jeandré Rudolph, Ruben de Haas, Reinhardt Fortuin, Chris Smit.

Kickoff: 19h00

Players arriving at a union normally have to earn a starting place through proving their worth over a period of time, but Bulls coach Jake White is so sure of Walt Steenkamp’s abilities that the former Free State Cheetahs lock has been vaulted straight into the starting line-up for Saturday’s Super Rugby Unlocked match against the Lions at Ellis Park.

The introduction of Steenkamp, replacing Ruan Nortje, who has an injury niggle, is the only change to the Bulls team that thumped the Stormers last weekend in such impressive fashion. The 25-year-old from Rustenburg, who only arrived in Pretoria at the start of the week, leapfrogs Sintu Manjezi, who stays on the bench partly because he can play in both the number four or number five jerseys.

“I signed Walt on the basis that I wanted to use him, and with Ruan Nortje having a bump on his knee I didn’t want to risk him as a 22-year-old who has played every minute for us so far. So it’s a good chance to give Walt an opportunity, he has played well for the Cheetahs, who are an unbeaten team, and he will bring that confidence, he knows how to win.

“Walt is 120kg, more than two metres tall and a mean scrummager. That’s my kind of forward – I want the biggest, meanest, strongest Bulls pack ever. It’s also Jason Jenkins’ last week with us before he goes back to Japan, so maybe next week we will play Ruan and Sintu. I thought Sintu would be a No.5 for us, but he can double up and is maybe more of a No.2 jumper, No.4 lock,” White said after announcing his team on Thursday.

While White is busy assembling some marvellous talent at Loftus Versfeld, he stressed on Thursday what a large part his two veterans – flyhalf Morne Steyn and eighthman Duane Vermeulen – are playing in their success so far.

“Morne has been fantastic for us and there’s no doubt he’s playing really good rugby. Of course the pack of forwards have helped him, as has Fourie du Preez helping with the scrumhalves and that has seen Ivan van Zyl blossoming. But Morne, at his age now, is clever enough to know what works for him and what doesn’t. The line is going nicely, he’s gelling with his centres and everyone around him just gets confidence from how he’s playing.

“Duane is also very important for us and you can see the difference when he doesn’t play. He just gives calmness and confidence to the team and he likes direction, structure and clarity. The way he thinks about the game, the way he understands lineouts and scrums, is also very important. He gives the juniors unbelievable confidence because he is so experienced,” White said.

Bulls team:  David Kriel, Travis Ismaiel, Stedman Gans, Cornal Hendricks, Kurt-Lee Arendse, Morné Steyn, Ivan van Zyl, Duane Vermeulen (C), Elrigh Louw, Marco van Staden, Walt Steenkamp, Jason Jenkins, Trevor Nyakane, Johan Grobbelaar, Jacques van Rooyen. Replacements – Joe van Zyl, Gerhard Steenekamp, Marcel van der Merwe, Sintu Manjezi, Nizaam Carr, Embrose Papier, Chris Smith, Marco Jansen van Vuren.

The Knights look on course for an easy win over the Warriors, while the Dolphins have a slightly tougher task to beat the Imperial Lions and the match between the Cape Cobras and the Titans is set for a thrilling conclusion going into the final day of the opening round of 4-Day Domestic Series matches.

The Knights are just three wickets away from victory against the Warriors in Bloemfontein, with the visitors still needing 193 runs to win. Their best hope is opener Matthew Breetzke, who is still at the crease with a defiant 71 not out.

The Knights, leading by 272 runs on first innings, ran into trouble against paceman Mthiwekhaya Nabe (3-21) on Wednesday morning and eventually declared their second innings on 93 for eight. First-innings centurion Jacques Snyman again top-scored, with 33.

The Warriors, chasing an unlikely 366 for victory, closed on 173 for seven, with fast bowler Migael Pretorius leading the Knights charge with three for 25 in 14 overs.

At Newlands, the Titans were set 316 to beat the Cobras and it is a target they just might reach as they reached stumps on 195 for three, just 121 runs away.

Theunis de Bruyn is their key man, looking in great touch on his way to 63 not out. The Titans were given a great start to their daunting chase as openers Dean Elgar (58) and Aiden Markram (48) put on 105 in positive fashion.

The Titans had earlier bowled the Cobras out for 201, with Kyle Verreynne scoring a crucial 85, while spinner Tabraiz Shamsi claimed four for 79.

In Durban, the Dolphins rode the record second-wicket stand of 337 between Sarel Erwee and Keegan Petersen to take control of their match against the Lions, declaring on 458 for three for a first-innings lead of exactly 200.

Erwee showed tremendous focus and judgement in scoring 199, before he drove Dwaine Pretorius to Temba Bavuma at short-cover, finishing agonisingly short of a maiden franchise double-century. Petersen was a superb foil at the other end, scoring a brilliantly compiled 173 as he and opener Erwee broke the record for the highest partnership for any wicket at Kingsmead.

Proteas spinner Keshav Maharaj is the obvious main threat for the Lions on the last day and he has already taken three for 37 as the visitors struggled to 75 for three at stumps.