Former South Africa second row Kobus Wiese expects the Springboks to stick with Handre Pollard going forward in the World Cup, but would like to see them pick a more adventurous backline as they progress in the competition.
The 1995 World Cup winner, who never lost a game playing for his country, lamented the 11 points South Africa missed off the kicking tee as they were beaten by Ireland last weekend.
As the Springboks approach the knockout stages, he believes it is crucial they have a kicker with a reliable percentage, and that Pollard has a chance to prove that as he starts against Tonga on Sunday.
“When it’s such a close game kicking is the difference as you’ve seen last Saturday,” Wiese said, speaking on The Rugby Paper Podcast.
“I’m a Mannie Libbok fan, I think he’s a very talented player, make no mistake about it. Unfortunately the one weak point at this stage would be his consistent level of accuracy when he kicks to the posts.”
“Yes you’ve also got Faf [De Klerk], but Faf is a makeshift kicker. He’s not really a reliable kicker or somebody whose done this for years at this level. We’re nearly through the pool stages now, but when you get to the playoffs you get one chance.
“I’d rather by safe than sorry. My feeling is if Pollard proves his fitness is up to scratch [against Tonga], he might be the guy that starts in those playoffs.”
Though Wiese wants a solid goalkicker, that does not mean to say he wants to see Springboks’ style of rugby rely solely on building the scoreboard through penalties.
He is enthused by the prospect of André Esterhuizen and Canan Moodie pairing up in the midfield this weekend, but wishes that Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus would utilise South Africa’s hugely talented wide options more often as they progress further through the tournament.
“I’ve been an André Esterhuizen fan forever,” he added. “I also think he’s in brilliant form.”
“They tried Canan Moodie, a recognised winger who’s been sensational there, against the All Blacks at Twickenham and he was an immediate hit [in the centres]. He’s an incredibly gifted player, that’s an exciting combination.
“Whether Rassie will use these potentially exciting combinations in crucial games, I doubt it. I think he’s going to be extremely conservative; he’s going to stick to what he knows. Which is a pity in a way.
“Out wide you’ve got Kurt Lee Arendse, that guy’s been a try scoring machine whenever he gets the chance, we know about Kolbe, Willemse is like Hennie Le Roux who played with me; they’re geniuses.
“Divan Serfontein, an ex-Springbok scrum-half used to say: ‘Those are the kind of players who are so talented they don’t even know themselves what the hell they’re going to do when they get the ball in hand.’
“You should allow these kinds of players to play and then play around them and link onto to them. So I’d love to see us get the ball wide. We’ve got great forwards but let’s score tries, we’ve got these guys standing on the wing who are getting cold.”
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