No-one needs to tell Frans Steyn what to do, says Boks’ Mbonambi

Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi is the latest player to give veteran Frans Steyn the thumbs-up to do the job at No 10 in the must-win Rugby Championship clash against Argentina at Kings Park on Saturday.

The unavailability of regular flyhalves Handrè Pollard, Elton Jantjies and Damian Willemse, who has performed the kicking duties in recent matches, has forced coach Jacques Nienaber to turn to the 35-year-old.

Steyn will be playing at “10” for the Boks for the first time in 14 years and only for the second time in his career in the crucial encounter in Durban.

The last time Steyn started at flyhalf against Italy at Newlands in 2008, the Bok team had players such as Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Gcobani Bobo, Ricky January, Odwa Ndungane, CJ van der Linde, Luke Watson, Ryan Kankowski, Conrad Jantjes and Brian Mujati in its ranks.

Captain Siya Kolisi and recent Test centurion Eben Etzebeth were still in high school.

“With someone like Frans Steyn you can’t really say he needs help that much,” Mbonambi said about the evergreen Steyn, who finished last week’s match against Los Pumas in Buenos Aires at No 10 after Willemse left the field with a concussion.

“He has been around the block longer than any of us, and he knows exactly what’s needed of him, and as the forwards we know what is needed of us to make the job of the whole team easier.

“We all have a specific role to play, and if we can get that right, everyone will produce a good performance.”

Mbonambi said Argentina's strong pack is their obvious danger area.

“We saw last week that the Argentinean scrum is very good — they do have a good front row and a good pack. Having an experienced player like Agustín Creevy back is good for them because he knows exactly what to do in the scrums.

“He knows most of the tricks that happen in there, so it is going to be a huge challenge in the front row for both teams.”

This is Mbonambi’s first match since he suffered a knee injury leading up to the second Test against New Zealand in Johannesburg last month, and he is happy to be back.

“I must say it is good to be back. I am very fortunate to be back in the Springboks circle to join my teammates. Every opportunity we get is to make sure we really prepare well and make sure when the game comes we are ready to execute.”

“The knee injury happened in Joburg before the second Test against the All Blacks. It was just a freak accident at training.

“I have been through rehabilitation and I have done my return to training. The doctors and physiotherapists are happy and I am more confident with my knee than three weeks ago.

“I wouldn’t use the word pressure in what we do, it is more of a privilege. Pressure is what normal South Africans face out there — it is a massive privilege to be included in the squad and I will make sure I do my job.

Mbonambi praised fellow hooker Malcolm Marx, who has been outstanding this season, mostly as an impact player off the bench.

“Someone like Malcolm Marx has really been playing well. The competition in this squad is very tight.

“You compete hard for a place in the squad. It is never easy coming back from injury, working hard and trying to make the squad. I am very fortunate and very honoured to be in the squad again.”