Jacques Nienaber has explained the absence of outside backs Willie Le Roux and Aphelele Fassi from the matchday 23 for the clash with Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
Fassi was touted to start either at fullback or on the wing after Sbu Nkosi was ruled out due to not having obtained a visa in time for the first match of the Boks’ end-of-year tour.
The 23-year-old shone in his two Springbok appearances to date, scoring a try against Georgia on his debut while also dotting down in the Rugby Championship opener against Argentina.
However, the coaching staff have gone with Damian Willemse at fullback, Jesse Kriel on the wing and Herschel Jantjies replacing the injured Faf de Klerk in the starting XV, while backs Cobus Reinach, Frans Steyn and Elton Jantjies have been named among the replacements.
And Nienaber admitted it was not an easy decision to overlook Fassie and Le Roux.
“Every player brings something different,” Nienaber said, when asked about the changes during a media conference.
“When we did the team announcement in front of the team, I said I was going to be as honest as I can be. Willie has played the majority of Test matches since 2018 and we know what we have with him. If we had to play a World Cup final on the weekend, we would probably select Willie because of his experience and what he has done for us in the past.
“This is an ideal situation to give Damian an opportunity. We haven’t given him an extended opportunity where he can actually play and settle himself into the fullback position. We felt that this was a great opportunity. We said to Willie that he must help us develop Damian and Aphelele. It’s a little side project and Willie is providing as much information as he can to them.
“Saying that, all three are different players with different skill sets. Obviously, they will have to bring their own specialness to the game and find a foothold in the game that suits their style.
“We will constantly try and put our France 2023 cap on, without making Test caps easy. You must always work hard to get a Test cap and the players do.
“When we announced the team, I asked Damian how many Tests he has played in and it was 13 going on 14 now. I asked him how many times he had started and he only has had three starts until now: England in 2018, then in 2019 he started against Canada and then he started this year against Argentina. So, you really have to work hard to get a start here.
“I had this conversation in front of Aphelele and the whole team. I said to Aphelele, that’s the thing, Damian has waited since 2018, he has been in our mix, working hard and really training well. He gets an opportunity here and there.
“We feel it’s time now. He has been in the mix for three years, training with us and knows our systems. We feel that he has deserved an opportunity. But that’s the nice thing about the squad. This conversation was in front of the whole team and a guy like Willie bought in completely. He will feed the little detail during the week in how he builds and prepares and pass it to these guys. It’s a wonderful position to be in.
“We had a nice discussion as coaches this morning. It’s tough to leave somebody out of this team currently and we are fortunate to be in that position. You really have to work hard, be patient and continue working hard to get a shot in the 23.
“It was tough because he obviously has skill sets and attributes that he brings to the party. On the question of will we play him on this tour, there will never be a never. Obviously, we have a specific plan for these three games in our heads. But, as you know with rugby, the ball is not round, it’s oval and you get real bouncers sometimes.
“If things go according to plan, there might be an opportunity. But things might change and we might go a completely different route. We have a plan in our head. It wasn’t an easy decision and it was a well-discussed topic in terms of this team selection. Winning is still our main priority.
“Everybody here takes it well, because we are open and honest. There are no one-on-ones. We literally do the team selection and explanation in front of everybody. So, Aphelele doesn’t wonder what I told Damian or Willie. We speak openly and honestly about the team selection in front of everybody so we all understand our thought process.
“It’s competitive, so there is disappointment. There must be disappointment. If you are not disappointed to not make the match-day 23, you shouldn’t be here. But the moment you are not selected, your job is not done. You now have another job, to prepare this team and to give input to the 23 that is selected.
“So Aphelele was disappointed, as was Willie not to be selected on a rotational basis, but you get over it quickly and get on with the next job.”
After the Wales encounter, the world champions face Scotland at Murrayfield before wrapping up the tour against England at Twickenham.
