Boks dressed to the nines: Hendrikse’s rise in pecking order a boost for world champs

There had been a growing suspicion that the Springboks’ elite group is a closed shop and that the individuals who lifted the Rugby World Cup in 2019 are welded to their respective positions.

It then came like a bolt of lightning that form held sway over reputation in the selection of scrumhalf Jaden Hendrikse over Faf de Klerk in the Springbok starting team for Saturday’s decider against Wales at Cape Town Stadium.

There is not much to go on in terms of current form, as Hendrikse’s only match over the past five weeks was last weekend’s Test in Bloemfontein. At the start of last month he played for the Sharks in the URC against the Blue Bulls at Loftus.

Coaches, however, increasingly gauge form by what they observe in training, and in that regard Hendrikse must have caught the eye of those he needs to impress.

He was certainly one of the Boks’ most industrious figures at the Free State Stadium and appears to have ticked the boxes the coaches needed populated.

“I thought he had a well-balanced game,” said Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber. “I thought he had a good kicking game, his passing accuracy was really good and he got nice rhythm on our attack. His defence was strong and all aspects of his game were very good,” explained the coach.

“We all know what Faf brings,” said the coach in relation to the 37 previous opportunities De Klerk had in the Green and Gold. “But we all saw Jaden’s performance last weekend. As a coaching group and selectors, we thought he performed well,” said Nienaber.

Still, eyebrows arched at De Klerk’s omission from the starting team. De Klerk has very much been part of the Bok furniture since the Rassie Erasmus/Nienaber regime began in 2018.

Jaden will know that Faf will come hard for him to get his spot back. Hendrikse’s challenge now is to keep putting in consistent performances like he did on the weekend.

—  Jacques Nienaber, Springbok head coach

He has played in 26 of the 41 Tests the Boks have played with them at the helm. The victory over Argentina at Loftus just before the team departed for Japan in 2019, was the only Test in which he came off the bench in that sequence.

De Klerk coming off the bench is an interesting development, as he boasts the well-honed ability to tap into the rhythm and tempo of the Bok game. In fact, often he is the one who sets it.

His boot is a well-used tool and though the Springboks mostly profit, it often infuriates those who have to watch it.

De Klerk has experienced the rough and smooth of life in the Bok No. 9 jersey. He was first selected for a Test match when the Boks lost the opening Test of the 2016 international season against Ireland, which was also coach Allister Coetzee’s first Test in charge.

He was the first-choice scrumhalf in 11 Tests that year but did not earn a recall the next year.

He was very much back in favour by the time Erasmus was installed as national coach and has been the number one scrumhalf since.

If question marks have emerged over his standing in the team, then it applies twofold in the case of Herschel Jantjies.

A much-celebrated game-breaker, Jantjies was regarded by many as a super sub who could inflict damage when opposition legs grow weary in defence. He has started just four of his 22 Tests.

Jantjies has been left out of the squad for the decider.

Generally speaking, Nienaber explained competition for places is fierce. “There are many in-form players knocking hard on the door. I think for the players — who you would call the established players, the guys who have won a World Cup and a British and Irish Lions series — it’s key for them to focus on their performance week in and week out.

“For the other guys, if they perform well and knock on the door, that’s the way they get selected.”

“Jaden will know that Faf will come hard for him to get his spot back,” said the coach before adding De Klerk is a fighter.

“His [Hendrikse’s] challenge now is to keep putting in consistent performances like he did on the weekend.”