Jaco Peyper to ref one of the Champions Cup semi-finals. Photo: Gallo Images.

Jaco Peyper to be Springboks secret weapon?

Jaco Peyper will be spending time with the Springboks in camp before he heads off to a Rugby World Cup referees camp.

by Wade Pretorius

21-06-2023 10:35

in Rugby

Jaco Peyper to ref one of the Champions Cup semi-finals. Photo: Gallo Images.

Jaco Peyper will be spending time with the Springboks in camp before he heads off to a Rugby World Cup referees camp.

Nigel Owens was supposed to help guide the Springboks but instead Peyper has stepped in.

“This week we focused on the work we did last week and just building on that layer upon layer. We are definitely not a polished product yet. There is still a lot of work to do and one of the aspects that we brought in this week was for Jaco to join us before he heads to Toulouse for his camp,” Jacques Nienaber said early this week.

Peyper playing a role in title defence

“It is great to have him with us. He is helping us work through all the new directives from World Rugby and makes us attentive and touching up to ensure we are all aligned with the referees.”

In the latest episode of a fascinating ‘Inside the Boks’ series, there is a closer look behind the scenes at the Springboks’ planning for the World Cup, while Erasmus can also be seen briefly telling the players about the thinking around this prospective ‘law expert’ appointment.

“We are even looking at the law and referees, and trying to find someone who is responsible for that and can come to you individually and talk to you about the law, and the penalties you give away,” Erasmus commented, before adding: “And (they can) tell Rassie to fu**ing shut up and not talk to the referees.

“(So we want to) get somebody in the management who communicates to World rugby because obviously it’s something big.”

In other news, Handre Pollard appears to be moving to inside centre which will leave a pair of Stormers players looking to compete for the flyhalf role.

Rapport suggest that Pollard could be featuring at 12 this season with a move to include Damian Willemse or Manie Libbok at flyhalf.

POLLARD TO CENTRE FOR SPRINGBOKS?

Libbok was nowhere near the Springboks setup two seasons ago but is now the only fit flyhalf in the squad only months out of the World Cup.

“We definitely see Handre as an option at 12,” director of rugby Rassie Erasmus told Rapport.

LIBBOK ON THE SPRINGBOKS RISE

“In the past, we talked about the possibility of Handre as an inside centre, and moved him there in the middle of some Tests. But now the possibility should not be ruled out that he can start in the No 12 jersey in a few Tests.”

Elton Jantjies has been a surprise recall given the injuries to both Pollard and Willemse at present.

It appears likely that five Springbok players who were part of winning World Cup team in 2019 won’t be on the plane to France later in the year.

Warrick Gelant, Elton Jantjies , Herschel Jantjies, Sbu Nkosi and Frans Steyn are all massive doubts to make the 33-man Springbok squad for the 2023 World Cup.

And all for mixed reasons.

ALSO READ: Springboks: THREE forwards who won’t be back to defend title

THE UNLUCKY FIVE

Gelant and Jantjies find themselves seemingly out of favour when you consider the rise (and rise) of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie. Jantjies has, at times this season, been displaced as the No 1 choice at the Stormers while Sbu Nkosi is struggling for game time due to off the field issues.

ALSO READ: Kolisi: Springboks want South Africa to smile

Frans Steyn is the most versatile of the lot but has suffered a serious injury which appears to have ruled him out.

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