With Super
Rugby nearly halfway through and suspended due to the coronavirus, it's an
ideal time to see the Springboks' options at each position for new head coach
Jacques Nienaber and rugby director Rassie Erasmus ahead of the Tests against
Scotland.
We will
evaluate the leading players this season in the Bulls, Lions, Sharks and
Stormers, and we will make our final selection. In our final edition of a
15-part series, let’s look at loosehead prop. Rugby fans can book British
and Irish Lions Tour Tickets on our website on exclusively
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Bulls:
Lizo Gqoboka
He was
probably the next loosehead prop in line for a World Cup call-up, but missed
out in Japan. So, he needed to use 2020 to push for the No 1 jersey following
Tendai Mtawarira’s retirement, and he has continued the consistent form that
made him a Bok in the first place.
Not a
particularly massive front-rower, it is Gqoboka’s physical strength that makes
him stand out. He makes a big impact in the tackle, and carries the ball
strongly. The 30-year-old’s scrummaging is also underrated, and the Bulls have
had a solid set-piece to work from this season. Gqoboka has made 20
ball-carries in six matches, including three tackle-busts, as well as 25
tackles.
Lions:
Dylan Smith
He has been
a mainstay of the front row that reached three consecutive Super Rugby finals,
but now Smith has to play a leadership role following the departure of a number
of stalwarts. And it isn’t going well for the Lions, who have lost five out of
six matches.
Despite his
success with the Lions, the 26-year-old hasn’t really been mentioned when it
comes to discussing Springbok contenders up to now, due to the number of
quality No 1s around. Rugby fans can book British and Irish Lions Tour Tickets
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Could 2020
be his year? He has made a respectable 25 ball-carries in six matches, which
puts him in sixth position among loosehead props in the competition. Added to
that, he has made 33 tackles. But the Lions scrum is ranked the lowest in the
tournament with a scrum success rate of 81 percent.
Sharks:
Ox Nche
He may be
regarded by some Sharks fans as the ‘new Beast’, having moved from the Cheetahs
to Durban following the departure of Tendai Mtawarira. But the man whose first
name is actually Retshegofaditswe has carved a niche for himself at the
four-time Super Rugby finalists.
The
24-year-old has brought his usual energy and explosiveness to Sean Everitt’s
team. He is always a willing ball-carrier, and has made 24 runs, which has
resulted in four tackle-busts and three offloads.
He also
pulled off a memorable long pass to set up Andre Esterhuizen’s try against the
Stormers, while his considerable work-rate saw him make 35 tackles as well.
Nche has
conceded five penalties, though, and while the relatively light Sharks pack do
hold their own in the physical stakes, they don’t usually dominate in the
scrums – they are second-last in the tournament with an 82 percent scrum
success rate.
Stormers:
Steven Kitshoff
The world
champion couldn’t quite wrest the Springbok No 1 jersey away from Tendai
Mtawarira, but is now making a compelling case that he should wear it going
forward.
Renowned for
his mobility as a front-rower, Kitshoff has a tournament-leading 41
ball-carries among loosehead props, which has equated to 186 running metres –
also the most. Seven tackle-busts and three line-breaks are not statistics that
are usually associated with a prop either, while you can also add in 35
tackles.
The
28-year-old Kitshoff has been a rock in the scrums as well, with the Stormers
earning a number of penalties, while the team has a 95 percent scrum success
rate – the fifth-best in the competition.
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