Schalk Burger pinpoints ‘big fear’ as youthful Springboks backline ‘scares us all’
Springboks playmaker Damian Willemse and an inset of Schalk Burger.
Schalk Burger believes that Damian Willemse has a huge responsibility in the second Test against the All Blacks.
The Springboks star will start for the first time at inside centre in a Test match in Wellington in what is a very inexperienced backline.
Cobus Reinach and Cheslin Kolbe are the most experienced starters behind the scrum this weekend, with Willemse boasting just one cap less.
In fact, there are just 173 caps worth of experience in the backs, with the trio collectively making up 128 of those.
Green backline
In 2023, Willemse became the youngest double Rugby World Cup winner in the tournament’s history, and Burger says that the green backline will lean on his experience in big matches on both sides of the ball as they attempt to remain in the Rugby Championship title race.
The legendary Springboks back-rower correctly predicted that South Africa would not emerge victorious at Eden Park last week, but felt that the game in Wellington was there for the taking. However, he is less confident now after seeing Rassie Erasmus’ selections.
“The big fear is that I always thought the second Test match was the one where we would be better because our form leading into that game wasn’t great, we got off to a slow start and playing at Eden Park,” he said on the Boks Unpacked podcast.
“But I thought Wellington was going to be where the turn in the season came until the team got selected. If you go through that backline, where does your leadership come from? It has to land squarely on Damian Willemse’s shoulders, and his season has been disrupted by a lot of injuries and then an unfortunate suspension.
“Then the international season started. Had one start at 15, and then it’s been pretty much off the bench, then out of the mix and now back into the mix.”
Ex-Springbok likens Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu to Marcus Smith which is ‘big concern’
Selections ‘screams TonyBall’
Willemse brings a different style to the number 12 jersey than that of Damian de Allende, with the latter being a more direct carrier. While Burger hailed Willemse’s ability in the tight, he did explain that there is a downside to his inclusion at inside centre.
“I love the fact that he is playing 12 because I think that gives him direction as a player, and his close-contact skills are exceptional. We’ll have to play a little bit differently,” he continued.
“It’s not like last week when you could say, ‘Okay, let’s go for the maul, get no reward, pass it to Damian de Allende, and he trucks it up over the gain line. The players that we selected screams ‘TonyBall’.
“We’ve got to play a little bit more rugby. This weekend might be when we find a bit of rhythm if everything goes according to plan that we find a bit of rhythm. We went from a kick-pass ratio in Joburg of 12:1 to 3:1 in the last two measures.
“So, it scares us all, and I think if you make that amount of changes, our defence has been one of our biggest issues in the game. This team, they’re not just going to stand up there and have line speed and go fetch them 15 metres back; there’s got to be a check, they’ve got to start safely and build an innings.
“And in that, there is a risk. There is a risk that we overplay our own hand and make errors.”
Joining Burger on the podcast was former Springboks centre Robbie Fleck, who also believes that the Boks could be exploited in the midfield.
“I like the look of it in terms of the backline. It’s an exciting backline going forward, but to choose that backline as a first option in the second Test in New Zealand and try and get a result out of it, it’s a tough ask,” he said.
“Nice players, exciting players, but from a defensive situation with Sacha, Damian and Canan Moodie, that’s a brand new combination in the midfield. It put them under serious pressure; the All Blacks are going to pick that up and they’re going to have a proper crack at them, they’re not scared to throw it around.”
READ MORE: Jake White’s brutal verdict on ‘disappointing’ Canan Moodie but ‘real deal’ Springboks rookie hailed
