OPINION: The Boks’ decision on Elton Jantjies was spot on

An extended squad will soon be named for the Boks’ Tests against Ireland in Dublin (5 November), France in Marseille (12 November), Italy in Genoa (19 November) and England in London (26 November) during the Outgoing Tour.

It’s already been confirmed that Handre Pollard will miss the tour due to injury, while more worries have materialised in terms of depth at flyhalf now that there is talk that veteran Frans Steyn – who slotted in at 10 during the final Rugby Championship Test – could be sidelined with a knee injury.

Specifically when it comes to specialist flyhalf cover, it may have been easy for the Springboks to consider recalling Jantjies considering that he is a player with vast experience of the team’s systems and game plan.

READ | WHY BOKS ARE CONFIDENT OF COPING WITHOUT JANTJIES

However, in a wide-ranging press conference on Tuesday, director of rugby Rassie Erasmus made it clear that Jantjies will not be considered for selection due to fact that he simply hasn’t played enough rugby of late.

There is talk that the veteran flyhalf could receive a career lifeline at French club Toulon in the near future, but there would have been very little point in the Boks relying on a player who has barely had any meaningful game-time in 2022.

Beyond this, there of course has to be consideration given to the fact that team dietician Zeenat Simjee will be returning to the team environment after being afforded time – along with Jantjies – to deal with reports over an alleged affair between the two earlier this year.

ALSO READ | ELTON JANTJIES OUT, ZEENAT SIMJEE RETURNS

The dust has still not settled following this bombshell story hit the news, and at this early stage it surely would have been untenable in terms of personal wellbeing and squad dynamics for Jantjies and Simjee to both be back on tour together.

That latest shocking story also came just months after Jantjies was detained at OR Tambo International Airport for a widely-publicised incident on board a flight back to South Africa.

At the time, the Springboks stated that Jantjies had to be viewed as “innocent until proven guilty”, but it was never a good look as he remained part of the squad.

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The fact of the matter is that Jantjies has also continued to struggle purely from a rugby perspective, with the flyhalf having endured a nightmare performance in the season-opener against Wales as he returned from injury, while he only featured off the bench in the losing cause against Australia during the Rugby Championship.

Jantjies is now 32-years-old, and his position as the ‘back-up flyhalf’ to Pollard has effectively already been conceded to Damian Willemse, while Johan Goosen is also firmly back in selection contention after recovering from injury.

Indeed, as the Springboks assess their options at flyhalf at a time when the likes of Willemse and even Willie le Roux have been providing capable back-up to Handre Pollard, it shouldn’t be forgotten that the Boks want to see what Goosen can offer the team on the Test stage.

The Boks do have options beyond Elton Jantjies

Goosen has had a career of remarkable highs and lows (including a premature retirement before making a U-turn on that decision), and there is a very good reason he has been brought back by the Boks.

The versatile Bulls star played the last of his 13 Tests all the way back in 2016, but he is clearly a player still in the picture when the Boks mapped out their planning towards the 2023 World Cup.

In many ways, Goosen is a hybrid of what Pollard and Jantjies offer, with the 29-year-old possessing silky skills and distribution, while also boasting enough physicality and strength to quite happily take the ball flat and challenge defences with his gain line running. He is solid on defence and has a massive kicking game.

Make no mistake, if he was fit, Goosen would have already featured in some Tests this year. Nevertheless, his opportunity to stake a claim for regular selection may well come at some point on the end-of-year tour.

So, when one considers that the latest scandal could spell the end of Jantjies’ Test career for the foreseeable future, the Bok coaches know that they have more options at flyhalf than many might see at face value, and that’s without even talking about young Jordan Hendrikse, Gianni Lombard or Manie Libbok.

Besides Willemse proving he is more than capable of stepping up to offer reliable back-up, there is also every chance Goosen could be a secret weapon that the Boks know they have up their sleeve.

READ | BOK COACHES TO WORK WITH LIBBOK, LOMBARD – REPORT