Nico Janse van Rensburg’s impressive Test debut

Saturday’s 10-29 victory over Argentina at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was particularly special for 27-year-old lock Nico Janse van Rensburg who made his test debut in the Green and Gold.

Some two months ago, the name Nico Janse van Rensburg will have puzzled a number of Springbok fans as Jacques Nienaber read out his squad for the 2021 British and Irish Lions Series with the versatile forward having last played on SA shores back in 2016.

Janse van Rensburg played just five times for the Bulls in Super Rugby between 2014 and 2016 as he struggled to breakthrough in a squad that contained the likes of Flip van der Merwe, Grant Hattingh, Paul Willemse, David Bulbring, Reniel Hugo, Jacques du Plessis with the likes of Marvin Orie, RG Snyman, Jason Jenkins, Jannes Kirsten and Irne Herbst joining the squad in the latter two seasons.

His big chance came when Jake White reached out during his time at Montpellier. Two Challenge Cup Trophies and five years later and Janse van Rensburg earned his first test cap for the Springboks.

He joined the likes of Handré Pollard, Jesse Kriel and Thomas du Toit from the SA u20 class of 2014 to make his debut for the Boks and while his fellow teammates from the side, that finished second at the U20 World Championship, reached the pinnacle quicker than he, Janse van Rensburg made the most of his opportunity on debut.

In an interview with Sport24, he describes himself as ‘more in the Victor Matfield profile’ of locks but added that he is ‘more versatile than ever before’ with his ability to play on the side the scrum.

A ‘Half Blindside’, if you will, Janse van Rensburg adds a fresh dimension to the Springbok pack and while he admits to being more of a Victor than a Bakkies, there is still some element of enforcement in his game.

In a piece, I wrote for Ultimate Rugby describing why he was such a good selection I dove into his stats during the Top 14 season where he finished third in most lineouts won and claimed six lineout steals. A shining light for Montpellier in a poor domestic season. He also finished the season with a tackle completion of 89.4% and had a well rounded season averaging six carries and seven tackles per game.

 

So how did the Affies Old Boy impress on debut?

With 30 minutes to go Jacques Nienaber opted to throw Nico on against Argentina with the Springboks leading the Pumas by 18 points.

With plenty of time to make his mark and show the coaches what he is capable of, Nico got straight to work.

With the Springboks winning a penalty from the scrum, as he came on, Nico sprinted after Handre Pollard’s kick, with Cheslin Kolbe, when it looked as if his kick may not go out. While this had no barring on the game, this won’t go unnoticed by the Springbok coaches. Nico was switched on and ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

From the resulting lineout, the Springbok maul goes to work with the end result seeing Lood de Jager, Siya Kolisi and Janse van Rensburg open the space for Marx to finish off the try.

 

The Springboks secure the restart after Pollard knocks over the extras and this where van Rensburg makes another positive contribution. Reinach hangs a testing box kick up from his own 22. The Pumas don’t deal with it well which results in a few football skills from the likes of Mapimpi and Reinach.

While in pursuit of the ball, Nico shoves Kremer out of his way before diving on the ball and securing possession for the Springboks with Kolisi clearing the ruck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Springboks attack up to the Argentine 22 from here before Reinach tries a grubber kick through for Kolbe to chase which is blocked and the Boks have an attacking lineout just outside the Pumas 22. Overall a great net gain having secured possession from the kick-off inside their own 22.

Lineout time and Lood de Jager calls for Nico to grab his first lineout in test rugby, he rises to the occasion uncontested.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A first carry in test rugby follows as to does his first defender beaten. After the maul heads towards the touchline, Bongi breaks off and Nico works around the ruck to provide a heavier option for Reinach.

He cleverly launches himself into Kremer dropping his shoulder into Pumas second-rower and charges into Alemmano and Montoya, drawing in three players in doing so.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pollard hangs up a bomb from here that Argentina do well to cover after spilling it in the air. A good clearance from Bertranou gives the Springboks a lineout in between halfway and the Pumas 10m line.

 

Fast forward to the 62nd minute and the Pumas have an attacking lineout. The visitors form a driving maul, and while the Springboks manage to defend it relatively well, the Argentines splinter off the back and come within a metre of the line. Having defended the initial drive, Janse van Rensburg charges back to defend the line before making a crucial tackle, and a try-saving one, on Facundo Gigena. It does not look as if Janse van Rensburg was onside to actually make the tackle but that didn’t bother Richie McCaw much during his career.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The shot on Gigena sees the prop spill the ball forward and the Boks get the feed to the scrum 5m from their line.

Reinach gets the Boks outside of their 22 after the scrum and this is where Janse van Rensburg shows more of his ‘Matfield attributes’. The Pumas line up for a throw to Lavanini at the front and Springbok manages to rip the ball out of the Puma’s grasp and win a lineout steal for the South Africans.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Boks kick once again a phase later after a powerful carry from Kwagga Smith. Cheslin Kolbe makes a tackle from the kick and he and Kisthoff look to have won a penalty before the Boks but it instead goes the other way. Argentina look to make the most of the advantage but Janse van Rensburg quickly ends any hopes of that as he and Dan du Preez hold up Bertanou. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pumas set up the lineout but nothing comes of it as the Springbok defence forces an error and they attack from deep.

The Springbok forwards are renowned for crashing the ball straight into contact but Janse van Rensburg adds a bit a twist to this approach. Standing in a pod with Franco Mostert, the Argentine defence would not be blamed for thinking the newly capped lock would just crash it up. However, he takes the slightest step as he receives the pass from Jaden Hendrikse to beat the first defender and draw in a further two to take him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It doesn’t look like much but had this been on his own try line or inside the opposition’s 22, it would be an entirely different story.

Hendrikse makes the clearance right after this carry with Am and Janse van Rensburg made a good double hit soon after to open the space up for the scrumhalf to make the steal. Unfortunately, he spills the ball forward in the contest on the deck and it results in a Pumas’ scrum.

Soon after, Hendrikse is penalised for dummying a kick at the ruck and the Argentines going quickly. This is where Janse van Rensburg shows off his wonderful tackling technique with a textbook chop tackle on Facundo Gigenga. The tackle provides the chance for Hendrikse to have a clear go at the ball at the ruck but is wrapped by Lavanini.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A string of penalties saw the Springboks work their way upfield and after a poor clearance on the full by Sanchez, Janse van Rensburg gets his second lineout take of the game.

An excellent jump giving the Argentines no chance at all.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Pumas did manage to force the turnover by stalling the Bok maul gaining a scrum from doing so. Kwagga Smith won a penalty at the breakdown after the Springboks conceded a free-kick at the scrum which the Pumas took quickly. Pollard set up the lineout but the visitors came away with the ball when Mostert was unable to grab it.

The Pumas attacked from deep and Janse van Rensburg forced them into clearing with this double hit with Dan du Preez which stalled their momentum.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He makes a further four tackles before full time, the first was a sharp shot on Pablo Matera after Pollard’s miss kick to touch. The second was a well-timed hit on Ezcurra after a Sanchez offload and the third was a sharp hit on Bosch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

His final tackle of the game was another excellent one as he denied Marcus Kremer a five-pointer just before Pablo Matera snuck over.

 

He, Kwagga Smith and Frans Malherbe manage to stop the rampaging lock just short but it was in vein as Matera brilliantly finished off the try a phase later.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Springboks have never been short on quality lock options and while the stocks at the moment are pouring over with the likes of JD Schickerling, JJ van der Merscht and others unable to get a look in, Janse van Rensburg showed that he is no passenger.

His work rate around the pitch and his intelligence at lineout time mean that he can easily contest any of the 4,5 and 7 jumpers in the Springbok squad adding further depth and options for Nienaber.

 

His performance consisted of 2 lineout wins, one lineout steal, 2 carries for 2 metres including two defenders beaten as well as 9 tackles with one miss. Stats via the Ultimate Rugby app. He also hit 9 rucks, 8 attacking and one defensive.

If the first 30 or so minutes of Nico’s test career is anything to go by, we have not seen the last of him. Having waited longer than his fellow class of 2014 teammates to make to the highest level, he is bound to make the most of it.