Orie's last crack at locking down Bok World Cup spot

Saturday's Rugby Championship clash against Argentina may well be Marvin Orie's last opportunity to convince the Springbok coaches of his credentials before they name their squad for this year's Rugby World Cup.

The Boks play Los Pumas this weekend at Ellis Park and in Buenos Aires the following Saturday before the 33-man squad is named for the World Cup in France.

Orie is effectively in competition with Lood de Jager who boasts 66 caps, and crucially, a World Cup winners' medal. RG Snyman, though mostly a front of the line-out operator is equally adept in the middle, as is of course Franco Mostert, though he is mostly deployed on the side of the scrum. The names mentioned can consider themselves part of the mix in Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber's 'Bok' bourguignon for France.

Orie though, doesn't seem too fussed about the looming deadline or the crowded field in which he is operating.

“All that competition is good for any rugby team, there are guys who have played more than 50 games in the pack, we push each other every day in training. I don’t want to think about trying to secure a place for myself. That is dangerous, that is not what rugby is about, it's about the team, I have to do my job to make the team better.”

Opinion will be divided whether he has achieved that objective in his 12 Tests. Having been part of first team that ran out with Erasmus at the helm in Washington in 2018, Orie, and a few others, have done well to put that setback against Wales behind them.

He is now a respected line-out practitioner and stoker of the second row fires, crucially, never to boiling point.

On Saturday he gets another opportunity to lock down with Eben Etzebeth, a long-time associate and Tygerberg High graduate.

“I am constantly inspired by him, for everything he has done for South African rugby,” Orie said about Etzebeth. “He is a big leader in the team. He's played over 110 Tests. In the match, what helps me is his calmness.

“I’m sure people probably wonder that when there is a scuffle he doesn’t look calm, but he is incredibly calm and that comes with experience. If there is a bit of pressure or any hastiness, he brings that calmness which helps me as well.”

Calmness will be a commodity bruiser Etzebeth and Orie who is from the hard lands of Belhar, will have to display by the truck load on Saturday. In Tomas Lavanini, the Pumas have a lock that brings the 'loose' to their second row cannonry.

“We try to always understand the opposition, I played against Tomas and a couple of the other Argentine locks in Super Rugby, they are tough guys, they are feisty and don't back off. We revel in those contests as well. Every day in training is competition, so we can’t get too feisty there, it's about the match but we are very excited about it.”

The Ellis Park cauldron will no doubt contribute to the fiery atmosphere. Orie's sense of duty obligates him to tap into the moment.

“It's all about 1995, not only what it did for rugby but the country. I perceive Ellis Park as the home of the Springboks. Other countries the national team plays at one stadium, and in South Africa there are many good stadiums, but Ellis Park always feels like the home of the national team.”

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