Rugby
John Goliath, Special to ESPN 6y

Rassie Erasmus wants a No 9 who can win the World Cup

Rugby

It's no coincidence that some of the Springboks' golden periods went hand in hand with having a world-class player at scrumhalf.

The late Joost van der Westhuizen, who passed away in February last year after a long battle with Motor Neurone Disease, and Fourie du Preez were South Africa's best post-isolation scrumhalves. They were match-winners and the envy of the rugby world.

The former Bulls No 9s played influential roles in South Africa's two World Cup titles, with Van der Westhuizen's physical prowess, speed and anticipation coming to fore in 1995, while Du Preez's tactical nous, unrivalled kicking game, and ability to create space for his backs played a massive part in the Boks' 2007 triumph in France.

Du Preez played for the Boks until the 2015 World Cup, and even though he lost a lot of the zip he was so famous for, he still played a big role in steering South Africa to a World Cup semi-final against the All Blacks, which they lost by a two-point margin. But since Du Preez hung up his boots, the Boks haven't had a scrumhalf who has taken charge tactically, or provided regular match-winning performances.

In the periods of Van der Westhuizen and Du Preez, the Boks had good flyhalves, but not great. The legendary Henry Honiball was maybe the exception, as he revolutionised flyhalf play in South Africa and played a key part in the Boks' 17-match unbeaten streak between 1997 and 1998.

These days, though, new Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has a plethora of top flyhalves to choose from, at home and abroad. But he admitted this week that his scrumhalf stocks aren't too grand.

"Nobody has put their hand up and said, 'This is my position, I'm the starting nine and we are going to win a World Cup with me'," Erasmus commented on the current crop of scrumhalves in Super Rugby.

With just over a year to the World Cup in Japan, Erasmus is trying to identify a No 9 who he can invest in over the next 18 months. Someone who can have the sort of influence Van der Westhuizen and Du Preez had on the Boks at rugby's showpiece event.

The Lions' Ross Cronjé started almost all the Test matches in 2017 and was solid, without being spectacular. Francois Hougaard, who retired from international rugby last week, was publicly criticised by former coach Allister Coetzee for his lack of 'technique', while Stormers veterans Dewald Duvenhage and Jano Vermaak are simply not good enough anymore.

The Sharks' Louis Schreuder has lifted his game since moving from Cape Town to Durban and went on the end-of-year tour with the Boks in 2017. His deputy,Cameron Wright, was also impressive in the few matches he has played, while talented young Bulls scrumhalves Ivan van Zyl and Embrose Papier may need another season before they can be considered international material.

It seems Erasmus is also keeping an eye on his overseas options, with Faf de Klerk, who played most of the matches under Coetzee in 2015, and Cobus Reinach set for a return to the Boks.

But both players had question marks around their tactical kicking, although it seems like De Klerk has improved a lot during his time with the Sale Sharks in the English Premiership.

But none of the above-mentioned players are in the class of a Du Preez or Van der Westerhuizen.

"Our reference point is always, 'Will we win the World Cup with this guy if we invest another 18 Test matches in him?' That is your measurement and what you have to look at," Erasmus said.

"If there is nobody local, we will look at Faf or Reinach. If you put another 18 Test matches on them, or Ivan and Embrose -- Louis Schreuder -- will those players win a World Cup for you? If that answer is yes, you have to go with those guys. "At this stage I don't think somebody has put a stake in the ground and said, 'You are going to win a World Cup with me'."

With just over a month to Erasmus' first assignment against Wales, the Bok coach needs someone to put their hand up, and fast.

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