The John Smit conundrum
rugby365.com columnist Jon Harris takes a closer look at the John Smit conundrum - prop or hooker. He believes Peter de Villiers will have to admit he was wrong.
The reasoning is perhaps sound. Convert John Smit to tighthead prop and extend his career sufficiently for him to use his amazing leadership skills to lift the William Webb Ellis Trophy again, and in the process become the first country to do so in consecutive tournaments.
It has merits. The position is not new to Smit, although it is at test level. The man is a determined operator, he steadfastly stuck to his guns when the country was for years bemoaning his credentials as first choice hooker ahead of other seemingly more proficient players. He proved his detractors wrong by sticking to his task, in the process proving his value as a scrummaging hooker and a uniquely talented leader.
When Peter de Villiers took over as coach, he realised the role Smit had to play in leading the Springboks to victory at the next World Cup. After all, he did not take the job to fail and was not about to lose the most influential character in the 2007 success. He wants to hold that little golden chalice high himself. More so than any other coach, probably solely because he carries the dreams and aspirations of so many non-white South Africans and, unfairly, the responsibility of proving the worth of all not white falls upon his shoulders.
He has made some mistakes, and anyone denying that he has not learnt from them and shown a willingness to change, is probably focussed on issues more than the man.
This end-of-the-year tour to Europe has been a shock to many, perhaps even in the higher echelons of the game. The second string Springboks disappointed on the whole. Their tour is over, so we can comment. Recognition and reward was perhaps handed out too frivolously. There was an apparent propensity to hand out tour caps to any player of colour showing even the slightest hint of the potential to crack it at the top.
Some were deserved, Juan de Jongh was one. But others were placed under undue pressure to prove their worth ahead of their time. There is no doubting that Bandise Maku will be a good hooker, Ashley Johnson a good eighthman in a certain mould, Davon Raubenheimer a good flank. Pushing them ahead of their due date has placed their development into International players at risk. Opinions have been formed of these men, some may be negative and they may have lost their opportunity in the fickle world of South African national rugby.
Others may have been dealt a hefty blow to their self-confidence, and they may suffer a setback in a department which is central to every top player's success, an unfailing self-belief which withstands every challenge.
Which brings us back to John Smit. He answered the call of duty and responded by being willing to switch to prop. This hero of the nation bravely accepted the challenge. He too wanted to be a part of the new era which had dawned on South African rugby. He respected the coach's vision envisaged, in regards to tighthead prop, and he set about learning the craft through a baptism of fire.
He succeeded. There were a number of scrums this year, where he showed the immense strength he possesses. Sadly though, some scrums do not make a tighthead and a glance at the scrum balance sheet would have any 'scrum bank manager' recalling the overdraft. It is dominance in the majority of scrums which decides the player's longevity as first choice, and our Captain Courageous was feeling the heat.
From national hero to almost national zero in just over a year. This man who had lifted the World Cup, the Tri-Nations Trophy and the Currie Cup, was now being berated at every opportunity by just about everyone, from the experts, to the has beens and then the never beens.
Why did he continue? Simply because he does not give up. He is a proud and determined man, and he will not give up.
If Peter de Villiers persists in keeping him at tighthead, he will persevere.
The Italy test proved to PdV and the rugby world that John Smit is still the best hooker the South African talent pool has to offer. He is immensely strong in the scrum, using his size and strength to combine with his props, individually or as a unit, to overcome the much-vaunted Italian front row which included Castrogiovanni. Having a true tighthead and long time team mate, BJ Botha, on his right and current regular, Tendai Mtawarira, on his left at loosehead seemed to give this colossus of South African rugby the motivation to prove to everyone that he is the man to wear the No.2 jersey into the 2011 RWC.
If Bismarck du Plessis has attributes which give him an edge over Smit, his fiery loose play is one, then the pros and cons of the two players needs to be measured and a decision made on the two as hookers. Du Plessis does not have the physical presence which Smit does in a scrum, and his exuberant loose play does sometimes cost too many penalties. Smit's leadership skills need to be brought into the equation.
That pall of doom which descended on South African rugby like an English winter, over the last few weeks , was lifted in twenty minutes of scrumming rugby and we can now face the Irish with confidence. The finishing front row of the Italy match has to be the starting one for Ireland, with Strauss on the bench.
Mr de Villiers, you have on numerous occasions since taking over the reins of the national team been humble in accepting you were wrong. Please accept that the experiment to convert John Smit does not have enough time to bear fruit. Manage the man properly and you will have the best hooker at the World Cup in New Zealand in 2011. Oh and get BJ Botha back in SA rugby too, please.