Quan: Handré made me feel comfortable

Springbok utility back Quan Horn has revealed he was pre-warned that he might be needed at flyhalf against Scotland, writes CLINTON VAN DER BERG. sport-ipl.my

He was nevertheless caught in what he called “the cauldron” of taking over the No 10 jersey mid-match.

“We chatted during the week about which duties I needed to cover, and I was ready for the call,” Horn said. “I was just grateful once again for the opportunity to represent the Springboks.”

Asked what the coaching staff want to see as he develops into a long-term utility option, Horn pointed to versatility as the priority.

“If I can cover flyhalf and fullback for the Springboks, I think that’s good for the team,” he said, adding that being able to cover multiple positions is increasingly valued at Test level.

Horn credited veteran playmaker Handré Pollard with easing his transition onto the field.

“He made me feel very comfortable,” Horn said. “He made everything so easy in the first half, and then I could step up and do my best.”

PLUS: Handré hails Bok character after Scotland scare

Horn said Pollard talked him through the attacking options available before kick-off, adding that his composure “gives a lot of confidence on the field”.

With Damian Willemse and Pollard both effectively playmakers alongside him, Horn dismissed suggestions that South Africa risked having “too many cooks” in the backline.

“There’s a big respect between the players,” he said. “Each of them knows the job they need to do first, and if you’re on the front foot, everyone can express themselves.”

BJ: I could have been better

Horn also confirmed he had no advance guarantee of finishing the match at flyhalf once the incumbent No 10 was fit to return.

“There were plans during the week in case a player got injured,” he said. “I was prepared to cover the position I was meant to cover.”

ALSO: Rassie defends experimental Boks

He called being kept on for the remainder of the game “a massive confidence booster”.

The performance adds further weight to South Africa’s growing reputation for selection depth, with Horn the latest bench option to deliver under pressure in a genuine Test-match crisis.

Photo: Johan Rynners/Getty Images

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Rassie Erasmus has revealed that next Saturday’s Springbok lineup to face Wales at Kings Park will be a blend of experienced and fit, returning players.

A much-changed Bok team beat Scotland 42-28 in the Nations Championship at Loftus on Saturday, and will now travel to Durban, where they will host a Welsh outfit coming off a 35-21 defeat in Argentina.

Speaking post-match, Erasmus shed light on Siya Kolisi’s availability as well as long-term absentees Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu and Morné van den Berg, along with those who were rested following victory over England eight days ago.

ALSO: Rassie defends experimental Boks

Asked whether the Boks would lean towards a familiar match 23, with an eye on the Los Pumas Test on 8 August and the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series from 22 August, Erasmus replied: “That’s a valid question – it’s a bit of a combination.

“When you walk out today [Saturday] and you see Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx, Eben, Siya, Lood de Jager, ‘Sous’ [Franco Mostert], Cobus Reinach in the stands, and you think about Sacha, Manie Libbok, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie, you see a lot of guys who are coming back.

“Next week will probably be some guys returning to fitness.”

MORE: Bok debuts beckon in Dragons duel

“To get Ethan Hooker through another couple of minutes, maybe give Jesse Kriel a rest, we’ll see,” the Bok boss added. “Canan might be at full fitness and we’ll switch him to 13.

“We’ll probably get Sacha into the group next week, because he might be ready for Argentina. ‘Krappie’ [Van den Berg] is really close to full fitness. I think a guy like Siya and Lood, hopefully, will be ready.

“It’ll be a combination of some guys coming back from injury and making sure we have more caps than our opposition, because today we were totally outnumbered in experience.”

BJ: I could have been better

On Hooker’s early withdrawal against Scotland due to a suspected concussion, Erasmus was unsure exactly what triggered the HIA.

“We didn’t see an incident and the guy’s mouth guard pinged. So, hopefully, I think he will be cleared.”

Erasmus, too, clarified the circumstances behind Moodie’s late withdrawal, which saw Hooker handed a surprise start on the left wing.

“Canan was not feeling that well during the week. On Friday, he trained but then he had a bit of a stiff hamstring. It wasn’t serious.

“Ethan was fully fit and we just thought with this game, Ethan might get 80 minutes under his belt. Maybe next week, another 80. Then Argentina, and by New Zealand, he’s got three games under his belt.”

KEO: Five Boks make a statement

Photo: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images

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L'Argentine traverse le Mondial sur un fil, sauvée jusqu'ici par son funambule Lionel Messi et un mental inaltérable, deux piliers auxquels s'attaque une équipe de Suisse peu habituée à de tels sommets, samedi soir (dans la nuit du dimanche 01H00 TU) en quart de finale à Kansas City. Sur le papier, un océan sépare les champions du monde en titre, et une équipe qui n'avait plus connu pareille fête depuis 72 ans en Coupe du monde. Notre direct à suivre.

Springbok flyhalf Handré Pollard showed that there is still plenty left in the old tank with a man-of-the-match performance in their 42-28 Nations Championship win over Scotland at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday night.

Pollard went into the match under pressure, after a coupe of poor performances for the Bulls during their URC end-of-season run-in, which led to many questioning whether he should still be among the Boks’ first choice flyhalves.

But Pollard proved it was just a blip, as he produced a strong all-round showing.

He started at flyhalf, left the action early in the second half, but was soon back on the field in a rejigged backline after Ethan Hooker went off with a head knock, and he played inside centre the rest of the game.

His presence around rookie utility back Quan Horn, who is still getting to grips with playing flyhalf, likely helped the regular Lions fullback put in an assured second half showing, while he also made a superb grubber assist late in the match for Jesse Kriel to seal the result.

“It was very tough. We knew it was going to be a big challenge, Scotland is a very good side, and they are very good at set piece time.

“They had us under the pump at big periods of the game, but I thought we showed a lot of character, particularly in that third quarter,” said Pollard in an on-field television interview after the match.

“We let them back in which was disappointing, but we got through it. They are a quality side and really good with ball in hand.

“Defensively we were pretty disappointing in those periods (in the second and fourth quarters), so that is a big work-on for us, but we are still happy with the result.”

Pleasing win

The Boks will be particularly pleased with the win over a very experienced and strong Scotland side, especially as their match 23 was relatively inexperienced, with 12 players having 10 caps or less, and that led to a bit of a disjointed performance on defence that allowed the Scots to score four tries.

“It does (inexperience) impact the team. But that is just how things work in this team. We slot in, try new combinations, and build squad depth,” explained Pollard.

“That’s what we do. This was a great experience for a lot of guys who haven’t played a lot of Test matches. To play against quality opposition in this atmosphere at Loftus is pretty incredible (for them).”

The Boks now turn their attention to their final Nations Championship match of the July window, against Wales at Kings Park in Durban, this coming weekend.

They will be looking to clinch another good win, before looking ahead to a one-off Test against Argentina in early August, and then Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series against the All Blacks which kicks off in late August.