“There can be no more thrilling experience for the Springbok rugby player than to oppose Wales in an international. It is more than just a grimly fought game. It is a searching trial of emotion, nerves and physical courage.”
So said legendary South African captain from the 1930s, Bennie Osler.
The words appeared in the matchday programme for the Springboks v Wales game in Pretoria in 1998. They didn’t age well. By full time this writer recalls rising from his seat and making his way out of the press box at Loftus Versfeld, en route spotting one of the aforementioned programmes turned to the page that carried Osler’s words. South Africa had just beaten Wales 96-13. How far had Welsh rugby fallen? The mockery around the ground that evening answered that question.
Wales have come a long way since, beating the men in myrtle green six times, with five wins arriving over the past eight meetings.
But it would be an understatement to say that in South Africa their challenge over the upcoming three-Test series isn’t expected to be a major one. Headlines have appeared branding the Welsh class of ’22 ‘limp’ amid predictions of a ‘drubbing’, while there have also been arrows fired at Alun Wyn Jones.
Now, a respected scribe, Mike Greenaway, writing for IOL Sport, has picked a team solely from South Africa’s United Rugby Championship players that he feels could lower Wales’ colours.
“I reckon a Springbok team picked solely from South Africa’s URC players would beat Wales,” writes Greenaway.
He then picks a side in the hypothetical situation of the overseas Springboks not being available, adding: “My team is picked on form not reputation, so some World Cup heroes don’t make it.”
The selection contains 10 uncapped players.
No Faf de Klerk, no Eben Etzebeth, no Lood de Jager, no Cheslin Kolbe — no problem.
The chosen is razor sharp despite only one of them, Warrick Gelant, having an asterisk next to his name, containing as it does wings Madosh Tambwe and Leolin Zas, both outstanding in the URC this term, as well as Manie Libbok, the Stormers fly-half, while up front ball-carrying machine Evan Roos is suggested along with serial man-of-the-match winner Vincent Tshituka.
Only prop Ox Niche and hooker Bongi Mbonambi played when South Africa last played a Test, against England in November. It all adds up to an incentive for Wales to prove a point this summer.
Are they good enough to do so. That is the question.
Team : W. Gelant; M. Tambwe, R. Nel, B. Odendaal, L. Zas; M. Libbok, M. van der Berg; O. Niche, B. Mbonambi, T. du Toit, W. Steenkamp, R. Nortje, M. Coetzee, V. Tshituka, E. Roos.
