Springboks selection a fine balancing act for Nienaber

In the wake of the Springboks team announcement, Jacques Nienaber says he has to master a fine balancing act between experience and youth in the run-up to the World Cup.

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Nienaber named a revamped Springbok lineup to front Argentina in their third and final Rugby Championship encounter of the year, before they head abroad for three warm-up Test matches and then the Rugby World Cup tournament.

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THOUGHT PROCESS BEHIND SPRINGBOKS SELECTIONS

Commenting on his selection for this coming Saturday’s Test and his selection policies in general, Nienaber suggested that the complexity lies in integrating the young and inexperienced players into the side and giving the older statesmen much-needed game-time, all while remaining highly competitive at this crucial stage of the season.

“This is a quality team that will offer us the skills we need against Argentina,” said Nienaber. “It also contains a good balance of experience and youth, which is vital as we build toward the Rugby World Cup.”

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“There are only four more matches before we kick off our Rugby World Cup campaign so it’s a fine balancing act to give all the players a chance to stake a claim for places while selecting teams that we believe are best equipped for the opposition we’ll face, and we’re pleased with the way we’ve managed that process up to now.

“Obviously the result in New Zealand was bitterly disappointing, but we came into the season with a plan that will hopefully allow us to select the best possible squad for the World Cup and peak at the right time.”

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TEAM GRAPHIC FOR RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP CLASH