Springboks v British & Irish Lions – Key Battles

Tweaks to both teams lead to tantalising and all-important head-to-head battles in the crucial second Test between the Springboks and the British & Irish Lions at Cape Town Stadium on Saturday, writes Quintin van Jaarsveld.

It’s do-or-die for the world champion Springboks after they let a 12-3 lead slip and succumbed 22-17 to the tourists in the opening encounter of the three-Test series last weekend. Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber and his British & Irish Lions counterpart Warren Gatland have both made three changes to their starting line-ups, the former desperate to level the series and the latter looking to complete the mission.

These positional battles will be as key to the outcome of the high-stakes showdown as they are compelling:

Frans Malherbe v Mako Vunipola

Both brutes have been roped into the respective run-on sides after doing duty off the bench last weekend and have the task of laying the foundation for success upfront. Malherbe and long-time prop partner Steven Kitshoff, who’ll be playing in his 50th Test, were both surprisingly relegated to the pine for the series opener in a calculated gamble that backfired. 

Starters Ox Nché and Trevor Nyakane, with Bongi Mbonambi in between them, did a great job to earn ascendency in the scrums. However, instead of taking the baton and hammering the advantage home as expected, the trio of Malherbe, Kitshoff and Malcolm Marx was uncharacteristically tame. 

The front-row battle is always crucial but especially so for the power-based Springboks and it’ll be up to their tenured tighthead to lead the charge against another experienced international scrummager in England’s Vunipola, who’s blown hot and cold on tour but did the deal down the stretch last weekend.

Franco Mostert v Alun Wyn Jones

In the modern era, teams are headed by a leadership core rather than a sole talismanic skipper. This is even the case for the Northern Hemisphere all-stars. However, if one such man still exists, it’s Welsh legend Jones, the last of a dying breed on several fronts. 

The aura of the most-capped international in the history of the game has been amplified even further by the remarkable recovery that saw him lead the British & Irish Lions to victory last weekend less than a month after he dislocated his shoulder against Japan.

The prolific, passion-fuelled 80-minute performance he put forth in the series opener was the stuff of legend and he’ll give his absolute all in his quest to finish the job in his 11th successive Lions Test cap. For workhorse Mostert, who made an unrivalled 15 tackles in the opening Test despite being replaced in the 63rd minute, upstaging Jones could equate to cutting the head of the … Lion.

Jasper Wiese v Jack Conan

The Tiger’s time has come and the circumstances couldn’t be more daunting. The stakes of a must-win showdown against the British & Irish Lions supersedes that of even a World Cup final given the tour only comes around every 12 years. 

Now consider the fact that Wiese will be making his first Test start in the No.8 jersey, after making his debut off the bench against Georgia earlier this month, and that he’ll have a key role to play, primarily as a Duane Vermeulen-esque stronghold under high balls after Kwagga Smith was caught out in this department. 

The man who’s been lighting up Europe for Leicester will also have to match the work rate and accuracy of all-action Irishman Conan, who made team-high carries (12) and metres (48) as well as all six of his tackles in the first Test.

Faf de Klerk v Conor Murray

The tactical linchpins of their respective teams. As reliable as Murray is, it’s baffling that Gatland’s gone back to the Ireland veteran after Ali Price played such a pivotal role in the series-opening win. The Scottish scrumhalf had his box kicks on a string and didn’t put a foot wrong. Not only that, he’s been the form No.9 all tour long. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but Gatland is clearly banking on Murray’s experience to finish the job. 

De Klerk, conversely, is South Africa’s clear-cut first-choice scrumhalf, a role he’s filled with aplomb for the last couple of seasons. He was his shepherding self in the first half of last weekend’s thriller, putting the Springboks in the driver’s seat in the first half before fading atop a slowly-sinking ship in the second. 

His decision-making was good, as was his execution for the most part, but he’ll have to sustain it for the full period he’s on the park to turn things around. 

Lukhanyo Am v Chris Harris

The brilliant bridge of the Springbok backline, Am is renowned for his extraordinary rugby IQ, abilities as a defensive organiser and subtle skills to create opportunities for his fellow backs on attack. The midfield mastermind also swoops in and snatches turnovers at the breakdown on a consistent basis. 

The outstanding outside centre displayed all of these skills last weekend, but the biggest impact he made came straight out of the shoot when he blasted Elliot Daly to set the tone. That’s the level of leadership he brings to the settled South African back division. 

Daly has duly been dropped after being shut out by Am. Stepping in to take centre stage is England-born Scottish international Harris. The 30-year-old is a thinking man’s No.13 as well, one who calculates clever lines instead of relying on brute force to breach defences. A strong defender yet perennially underrated, this is the ultimate opportunity for him to prove his worth.

Quintin van Jaarsveld

Quintin Van Jaarsveld is a former MDDA-Sanlam SA Local Sports Journalist of the Year and a former three-time Vodacom KwaZulu-Natal Sports Journalist of the Year. Formerly the sports editor and Outstanding Journalist of the Year award winner at The Fever Media Group, deputy editor at eHowzit, editor at SARugby.com and senior staff writer at Rugby365.com, he boasts over 15 years’ experience and is currently a freelance sports writer.