Rohan's time will come, says coach Stick

14 August 2016 - 02:00 By KHANYISO TSHWAKU

In the eyes of knowledgeable and unbiased rugby watchers, Lions inside centre Rohan Janse van Rensburg should be in the Springbok squad ahead of Damian de Allende. The former has been in electrifying form while the latter has been quiet if his match-winning try against Ireland in the second test in June is cast aside.Janse van Rensburg's omission raises the question of trusting class over current form, something Springbok backline coach Mzwandile Stick seems to prescribe to.Stick knows Janse van Rensburg's form demands selection but felt the 21-year-old has to bide his time. He said De Allende is misused and the lack of clarity in his role has added to his current rut.story_article_left1"Rohan's omission was a difficult decision and because of his form, he was asking serious questions of us. He's at the heart of the Lions' line-breaking game and he's ticking many boxes that would have him picked," Stick said."However, there are other players who have excelled in the past at centre and have been overlooked, like Juan de Jongh, and we need their experience and skills. Rohan's time will come."As coaches, we see things differently and we have a high opinion of Damian's ability. When he needed to stand up and be counted, he did exactly that against Ireland."He was able to demonstrate his gain line breaking ability. What must also not be discounted is Damian's ability to pass.I suspect at times he plays under coaching instructions not to pass but he knows and understands his role with us. I don't quite agree with the notion that he's not playing well because he provides what we're looking for."The pitched battle at inside centre is set to heat up once Bulls incumbent Jan Serfontein comes back while Francois Venter lurks in the shadows.Stick is aware of the traffic jam that will ensue once all the available 12s are in form but said they want to be in a position where they do not know who to pick."There is something called healthy stress and that's something you want to have as a coach and selector," he said. "It's nice having that kind of stress knowing you have so many options to pick from because that makes life easier."It becomes a problem when your options are limited and you have no one to turn to."..

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