Cape Town - After losing a number of players through injury and with others unavailable, Springbok coach Allister Coetzee would’ve breathed a sigh of relief after practice in London on Tuesday.
Bryan Habana has recovered from his knee niggle he picked up while playing for Toulon on Sunday, and will be available for selection for Saturday’s Test against England at Twickenham.
Habana took full part in practice at the Upper Latymer School on Tuesday, and forwards coach Matt Proudfoot confirmed that the 33-year-old has been cleared.
Apart from a number of previous long-term casualties, including Handre Pollard, Siya Kolisi, Marcell Coetzee, Frans Malherbe and Julian Redelinghuys, Coetzee has also had to deal with the unavailability of Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger and even Heinrich Brüssow due to club commitments.
Bulls newcomer Roelof Smit was ruled out of the tour on Monday after tearing his pectoral muscle during training, while Jesse Kriel sustained a lower leg injury in the 31-31 draw with the Barbarians.
So Habana’s fitness is vital for a Bok back-three combination who have blown hot and cold. The Bok coach has been unable to call on JP Pietersen and Habana at different stages due to club commitments, while Ruan Combrinck was injured against Argentina in Salta.
All three are ready to take on England, who boast a world-class fullback in Mike Brown, but have injury problems of their own out wide. First-choice wings Anthony Watson and Jack Nowell won’t take on the Boks, and it appears as if Jonny May and Fijian-born Semesa Rokoduguni will line up at left and right wing respectively.
So, the experience of Habana (123 Tests) and Pietersen (69) could be handy at Twickenham.
But what about Combrinck? He made a dramatic impact in the four Tests he’s played so far, and looked sharp when he replaced Kriel at fullback in the Barbarians game. His ability to kick with both feet and sound technical ability under the high ball could make him a more viable alternative at No 15 than the inconsistent Willie le Roux and Johan Goosen, who was not convincing at the back this year.
What counts against the Lions star playing at fullback is his lack of game time, as he has been out for over two months.
But the biggest challenge for the Boks on Saturday will be the England pack, who have dominated all and sundry in their 10-match winning streak.
Despite losing first-choice locks Maro Itoje and George Kruis, the robust Courtney Lawes has been passed fit and is set to partner Joe Launchbury in the second row, while abrasive ball-carriers such as No 8 Billy Vunipola, his prop brother Mako and captain and hooker Dylan Hartley will look to take the fight to the Boks.
The South Africans, though, haven’t lost at Twickenham since 2006 and after a difficult year where they’ve won just four out of nine Tests, England coach Eddie Jones remarked that: “They have one crack at redemption, beating England. Do that, and they go home heroes.”
Cape Times