Cheslin Kolbe Boks

Cheslin Kolbe in action for the Boks. Photo: AFP

Bok coach admits flyhalf depth worried him, says Kolbe could offer cover

Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber has interestingly name-dropped Cheslin Kolbe as a possible back-up option at flyhalf if the need arose.

Cheslin Kolbe Boks

Cheslin Kolbe in action for the Boks. Photo: AFP

The Springboks got their preparations for a testing international season underway on Sunday as head coach Jacques Nienaber and his management team hosted the first of two alignment camps. Alignment camps will also be hosted with the overseas-based players such as Kolbe, as well as virtual meetings, all of which will take place between Saturday 16 and Monday 25 April.

The first camp in South Africa has been taking place in Durban from this past Sunday to Tuesday 12 April, and the second camp in Cape Town, from Sunday 1 May to Thursday 5 May.

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A selected group of players from around the country have been invited to the camps and will appear in both cities as the Boks gear up for their exciting season. Further players, however, could be invited to the second camp.

Kolbe has proven capable of featuring at wing, fullback and flyhalf

In terms of the flyhalf options, there has been good news recently after incumbent No 10 Handre Pollard recently made his return from a serious injury, while Elton Jantjies is expected to be back in action within the next few weeks.

However, Nienaber has interestingly highlighted what some of the alternative options were that have come under consideration, and this included a surprise mention of Kolbe.

“It was quite a shock, at one stage I was thinking that if we have to play a Test match now, both of our regular flyhalves are injured,” Nienaber said.  “Handre is back to fitness again and Elton had his surgery again and will actually be at the alignment camp because he and Malcolm Marx will be doing their rehabilitation.

“Elton is doing very well, he will be seeing a specialist in the next week or two. If he gets the all-clear, he will head back to Japan and rejoin his club, which is in a promotion-relegation battle, so he wants to add some value there. Hopefully, he gets some games in Japan but we first want to make sure that he can get signed off by the specialist who operated on him….

“That’s why last year our thoughts were on getting an experienced head in the squad like Morne Steyn. Remember, we have Frans Steyn who can play there, Gaza [Damian Willemse], Cheslin put in some excellent performances for Toulouse last year before he went to Toulon, where he played for Toulouse at flyhalf.”

The Bok management have also welcomed Johan Goosen into the alignment camps despite still being unavailable due to injury, and the head coach explained the thinking around this.

Goosen has played 13 Tests for the Boks, the last of which came in 2016

Back in mid-October, Goosen sustained an ACL knee injury, and is still coming towards the end of his injury rehabilitation.

“I’ve never in my life worked with Goosen. I’ve had a couple of conversations with him, but not at a personal level. One of the things I want to do in the alignment camps is to have a chat with him to see may if I can pick up on his character.

“Try to know him a bit better and find out where he’s at in terms of his rugby career. Is playing for the Boks something he’d aspire to? Does he still want to play for the Springboks at the World Cup? It’s things like that and I’m not saying that’s the only reason he’s been invited to the alignment camp.

“80 percent of the conversations will be generic and 20 percent of the conversations will differ from individual to individual.”

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