Africa-Press – South-Africa. Despite knowing at the back of their minds that once Handre Pollard or Elton Jantjies return they won’t be saddled with the responsibility anymore, Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber insists that Damian Willemse and Co are taking their current goal-kicking duties “incredibly seriously”.
The issue has dominated the build-up to Saturday night’s crunch meeting with France in Marseille after the waywardness of Willemse and Cheslin Kolbe off the kicking tee arguably cost them a win in last weekend’s 19-16 loss to Ireland.
In response to that, the Boks included Stormers pivot Manie Libbok in the match-23 for a potential debut, but only from the bench, meaning that Willemse will have to set the tone.
And while it’s largely a forced gamble, Nienaber doesn’t believe putting Willemse in that position is necessarily a bad thing.
“It’s a different thing to go and kick with a Springbok emblem on your chest and 85 000 people screaming. It’s a different kind of pressure,” said the national coach on Tuesday.
“The only way they’ll get better to handle that pressure is to play under that kind of pressure.
“I don’t want to call Damian our third choice because although we know he’s only playing his fourth Test at No 10, we know the quality of the player. He might have 25 Tests under his belt, but it’s only the fourth time he’s had to take the goal-kicking duties because we had the other guys present.
“In 2018, we started with Handre and Elton, who started the majority of our Test matches. Our backup 10 had to be a seasoned international player in Frans Steyn. Unfortunately, we are where we are in that all three aren’t available.”
Even if a training session can’t replicate a match situation, the kickers are doing their utmost best to prime themselves for the cauldron.
“We’re working on it, like we do always. They measure their kicks, every one’s distance and accuracy. We can tell you the kicking percentage in training,” said Nienaber.
“We are working incredibly hard and the players are taking it incredibly seriously. But the most senior flyhalf we have is Damian. That’s our reality.”
He also doesn’t want the goalkicking issue to cloud the fact that flyhalf play isn’t just confined to that responsibility.
“A flyhalf must be able to kick well yes, but he needs to boast a good attacking ability, drive the forwards forward, drive the game for us, have defensive kicking game, spot space, and even hit ruck if required,” said Nienaber.
“We know where we are. We’ve been dealt the hand we have. I trust the guys to put in the hard work.”
Saturday’s Test in Marseille kicks off at 22:00 (SA time).
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