Springbok selection headaches [ex Supersport]

 How we longed for the weather in Padova on Saturday to have been different. After a pleasant build-up week with mild winter temperatures and dry skies, match day had to go and be filthy.

Light but steady rain from about half an hour before kick-turned into much heavier downpour as the game wore on.

How we wanted to see if the Springboks could use the defensive resistance of a demonstrably inferior opponent to build some rhythm in a mid-field combination – numbers 10, 12 and 13 – that had played together for the first time at test level a week earlier in Paris, and build towards a Welsh crescendo this week.

But it was not to be. While the desire had always been there to play direct rugby for a number of phases to suck in defenders and create space in the wider channels on a pitch that was more than 10 per cent narrower than World Rugby guidelines, conditions largely dictated that direct it would be throughout.

We learned little from the outside backs, other than that Francois Venter continues to bring direction, pace and handling skill to the inside centre channel, of which he had showed encouraging signs in Paris.

His combination with Handre Pollard – named the official man-of-the-match – bore fruit at the gain-line and simply the way he carries the ball in two hands keeps defenders guessing for a crucial extra half second or so.

But what was pleasing was how the set piece functioned in the dreadful conditions. By my reckoning there were two missed line-outs, one when the ball was tapped awkwardly under pressure from a contesting jumper, but only one throw missing its mark.

It was a polished performance from Bongi Mbonambi starting a test for the first time, and vindication for the enormous amount of work he has put into his lineout throwing, his greatest perceived weakness.

As he promised he would, Mbonambi brought some different qualities to the role in the absence of Malcolm Marx. While the latter relishes the opportunity to get over the ball, Mbonambi was energetic in his cleaning work at rucks and doing his bit to speed up delivery there.

The front-row experts all speak of the importance of the hooker in the scrumming effort and despite the distinctly different body shape to the man he replaced, the scrum was powerful and dominant, as it will need to be heading into the Wales clash this weekend.

CHILI HITS THE SPOT

Every bit as pleasing was how there was no drop in effectiveness when the bench players were introduced for longer-than-usual stints. One cannot speak enough about the amount of work Trevor Nyakane has put in to developing his tight-head skills, while thinking about what Chiliboy Ralapelle had to do in his first contribution to the game speaks volumes for his preparation and BMT.

It so happened that the Boks had conceded possession in their own territory just as the subs were made and a grubber kick from Italy resulted in a line-out to the Springboks five metres from their own line.

Given that the opposition must be ten metres back from a line-out, it is a common tactic for the hooker to throw over the 15m line to an advancing teammate, which was unsurprisingly the Boks’ call. But to execute that throw with a sopping ball, with you first throw of the year in test rugby said much about Ralepelle. Marx will almost certainly be available for selection against Wales, Siya Kolisi definitely will be, having returned to Cardiff following the birth of his second child in Cape Town last Thursday.

It will be by necessity the fourth different back row in four matches on this tour, with Francois Louw and Duane Vermeulen having returned to their European clubs. Franco Mostert has returned to his Japanese club, although Elton Jantjies got permission from his to stay on for one more week.

Uzair Cassiem, Oupa Mohoje and Ruan Botha enter the selection frame this week and, given the couple of deft little touches shown by Warrick Gelant on debut on Saturday, it will be interesting to see if he gets a start and whether the four weeks of selfless dedication and toil from those on the fringes will be rewarded with selection into the final match day 23 of 2017.