Jantjes proves need for revised Super 12 approach

Western Province coach Gert Smal has denied any knowledge of it, but there is a strong rumour doing the rounds that Lukas van Biljon and Gaffie du Toit would like to continue their careers in the Cape next year.

Before he was lured away by Andre Markgraaff to link up with Griquas, Du Toit was of course a Cape player. He first started making his name in rugby playing flyhalf for Maties and the Western Province under-21 side.

Van Biljon, or so the story goes, is so impressed with what the scrumming power of Cobus Visagie can do for his own game that he wants to spend as much time as possible linking arms and shoulders with the WP strongman.

Now the point of all this is not that I want to start a bidding war between the respective unions involved. Or that I have misread the calendar and have misinterpreted this middle point of the Tri-Nations to be the official start of the silly season that normally hits us in December and January.

I bring it up because even if, as Smal says, there is no substance to the rumour, I think it would be a damn fine idea. No, not because I want to see the Stormers and WP boosted, but because it would make sense from a South African viewpoint to have both these two fine players away from the Sharks franchise.

Indeed, in the wake of the excellent performance of Conrad Jantjes in the Loftus test against Australia, this might be an opportune time to re-open the debate around South Africa's approach to the Super 12.

Rian Oberholzer, the SARFU chief executive, said towards the end of the most recent edition of the competition that while he was pleased the Cats and Sharks had done so well, he was still disappointed. He felt some of the best players had still not been exposed to Super 12 rugby.

He was referring to several new stars who came through the Vodacom Cup competition, but he might just as well have been alluding to Jantjes, who was ignored by Cats coach Laurie Mains for the duration of the Super 12.

There are those who say that despite Jantjes' superb showing at Loftus, the jury should remain out on his ability to play Tri-Nations at this stage of his career. Although I was the first to laud his brilliance in Pretoria, I would agree with that point on the basis that the Australians do not kick nearly as much as some other top teams and as a result Jantjes was not tested to the extent that he might have been.

We may well be singing a different tune after Perth and Auckland, where the set of circumstances faced by the young player could be quite different to those he encountered on a still, clear afternoon in Pretoria.

But if there was one thing that Jantjes did prove at Loftus it is that he has the potential to become a great international fullback. If there are still questions, they revolve around timing of selection, not ability. And on the evidence of what we saw in those 80 minutes at Loftus, Jantjes could have long ago erased any of those remaining question marks had he been given a chance to play in the Super 12.

That he is good enough to play Super 12 is no longer a point for debate. He should have played and all those who criticised Mains for being too conservative were spot on.

But then it also needs to be recalled that Mains' call against Jantjes at fullback was made easier by the presence at the Cats of Thinus Delport. As the player was a test Springbok, it was easy for Mains to justify his inclusion.

And with Dean Hall and Wylie Human in great form on the wings, which is a position which Jantjes is in any event not comfortable playing, the Jantjes situation was made more complicated than it would have been had he been available to a franchise less well endowed with quality wings and fullbacks.

There are several other recent Viljoen selections which highlight the necessity for SARFU to arrive at some sort of arrangement that ensures the top players on the national coaches list in a particular position do not play for the same Super 12 team.

One case in point is Marius Joubert. The Bolander was not available through injury, but had he been on Alan Solomons' books at the Stormers during the Super 12, would he have got the game time the national coach (and many others) clearly believe he deserves?

Remember that the Stormers already had two Springbok midfielders in Robbie Fleck and De Wet Barry available when the season started. Then there is another talented Bolander available to the Stormers in Wayne Julies. And what about Stuart Abbott, who played well enough in his few opportunities for the Stormers to suggest he too should get greater Super 12 exposure in 2002?

It is not in the best interests of South African rugby to have Gaffie du Toit playing at the same franchise as Butch James (they were the No1 and No2 among Viljoen's flyhalves before Du Toit's injury). Neither does it makes sense that the only two really international class hookers (well, apart from James Dalton), are both with the Sharks.

One of Jantjes or Delport would be better off linking up with the Bulls. As the Bulls are well enough served by Dalton at hooker, Van Biljon (or Smit) would get more game time if they played for the Stormers. Considering the number of players ahead of him at the Stormers, the same argument can be forwarded in the case of Abbott.

And what happens next year when Rassie Erasmus is back in top form and back as captain of a Cats franchise that now has an additional Springbok looseforward in Joe van Niekerk joining Erasmus, Andre Vos and Andre Venter?

We could also mention the Sharks midfield, where Deon Kayser is an outside centre and so is the freshly recalled Andre Snyman.

Of course, South Africa's complement of Super 12 teams will soon be expanded to five. When that happens the problem referred to by Oberholzer may disappear.

But until it happens, a lot of negotiation and compromise may be necessary from our four Super 12 coaches (hopefully we will know their identity by the end of August) if the national coach is going to have more than just gut feel to go on when he selects his first squad of the next season.