Mallett: Willemse offers bright light after dark days over Jantjies

The Springboks and Argentina will conflict in an important Rugby Championship on Saturday that would make or break their title prospects, with Damian Willemse set to begin as soon as once more at flyhalf. In South Africa, the match will kick off at 21:10.

Despite the significance of Saturday’s recreation, the build-up has been dominated by the backlash over Elton Jantjies’ newest alleged indiscretion that noticed him despatched residence together with Springbok dietician Zeenat Simjee to cope with the experiences of an affair.

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Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett, in his newest column for Sport24, has mentioned the type of Damian Willemse is no less than one bright light for the Boks regardless of the departure of Jantjies at a time when the Boks are already with out injured Handre Pollard.

“I think the way Springbok management has handled it is the only way they could have,” Mallet wrote. “I’m sure they would’ve cleared it up with the players and ensured all that really matters to the Boks now are their efforts at claiming a bonus point in Buenos Aires on Saturday and then another at home in South Africa the following weekend.

“The blow is softened by the fact that Damian Willemse had a really good game two weekends ago against Australia. His team-mates will trust him, and so they should. Willemse is going to have ups and downs in that position – he is new to it on the Test stage – but he gives nothing less than 100 percent at all times and he is very committed on defence and taking the ball to the line.

“There is work to be done on his tactical kicking, but as a player, I know the entire team will back him in whatever position he plays: flyhalf, centre or fullback. Willemse is presently one of the most committed and courageous Springboks in the squad and it’s quite extraordinary how he punches above his weight in terms of physicality, making tackles and even counter rucking.

“His effort levels are so high, and he sets the standard that leave those around him willing to accept the odd execution error because they know in their hearts that this guy is never going to do it on purpose. He won’t miss a tackle if he can help it and you know he is going to be on his feet helping everyone else wherever he can.

“Willemse is a tremendous example of the type of guy that every rugby player likes to have in his team. Not only is he courageous, but I think he’s become more verbal and an increasingly astute communicator with those around him. 

“I don’t think the team will be thinking ‘Oh hell, we’ve got Damian and we haven’t got Elton’. I think they’ll be thinking ‘Thank goodness we’ve still got Damian and we’ve still got Frans Steyn’.”

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Willemse will begin at 10 in an unchanged run-on XV:

15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz) – 77 caps, 65 pts (13t)
14 – Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 5 pts (1t)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Yokohama Canon Eagles) – 54 caps, 60 pts (12t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 64 caps, 40 pts (8t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) – 31 caps, 110 pts (22t)
10 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 22 caps, 14 pts (1t, 3c, 1p)
9 – Jaden Hendrikse (Cell C Sharks) – 8 caps, 5 pts (1t)

8 – Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers) – 16 caps, 0 pts
7 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 57 caps, 10 pts (2t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Cell C Sharks) – 69 caps, 35 pts (7t)
5 – Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 62 caps, 25 pts (5t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 104 caps, 15 pts (3t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 52 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 53 caps, 55 pts (11t)
1 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers) – 65 caps, 5 pts (1t)

Replacements:

16 – Deon Fourie (DHL Stormers) – 2 caps, 0pts
17 – Ox Nche (Cell C Sharks) – 13 caps, 0pts
18 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 58 caps, 5pts (1t)
19 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 2 caps, 0 pts
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 25 caps, 15 pts (3t)
21 – Faf de Klerk (Yokohama Canon Eagles) – 40 caps, 25 pts (5t)
22 – Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins) – 9 caps, 0pts
23 – Frans Steyn (Toyota Cheetahs) – 76 caps, 150 pts (11t, 7c, 24p, 3d)

Argentina – 15 Juan Cruz Mallia, 14 Emiliano Boffelli, 13 Jeronimo De La Fuente, 12 Matias Orlando, 11 Lucio Cinti, 10 Santiago Carreras, 9 Gonzalo Bertranou, 8 Pablo Matera, 7 Marcos Kremer, 6 Juan Martin Gonzalez, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matias Alemanno, 3 Eduardo Bello, 2 Julian Montoya (c), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro.
Subs: 16 Agustin Creevy, 17 Thomas Gallo, 18 Joel Sclavi, 19 Guido Petti, 20 Rodrigo Bruni, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Benjamin Urdapilleta, 23 Matias Moroni.

Springbok file towards Los Pumas in Argentina:

Played 15; Won 12; Lost 2; Drawn 1; Points for: 508, Points towards: 318; Tries scored 59, Tries conceded 30; Highest rating 52-23 Buenos Aires (1993); Biggest win 33 factors Salta (2019). Win % 80%.

Milestones:

• Eben Etzebeth will change into probably the most capped Springbok towards Argentina with 18 appearances when he takes the sector.
• Siya Kolisi will play in his 40^th Test as captain.

Miscellaneous:

• The complete Test caps for the Springbok beginning line-up is 741.
• There are 263 caps within the backline with 478 caps amongst the forwards. On the bench there are an additional 225 caps.
• The common caps per participant within the backline are 37, the forwards 59, whereas the gamers on the bench common 28.

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