We have got so used to seeing the chubby Ricky Januarie jogging onto the field with 15 minutes to play that it came as a refreshing surprise to see him sitting for the full 80. And for good reason too because for the second week in a row young Francois Hougaard, in only his second Test start, put on a display that has surely put an end to Januarie’s Springbok career.
One doesn’t quite know the logic behind why the portly one has been given so many chances to play for the Springboks when clearly there have been better scrum halves available. Possibly it has been PDV’s hope that he can reproduce that once in a life time chip and gather that he did at the infamous “House of Pain” at Carisbrook in 2008 to beat the AB’s.
However even PDV must be thinking that Ricky can no longer fit into his plans let alone the ‘Bok jersey after having witnessed the sublime skill from Hougaard. Deservedly being awarded the MOM, Hougaard impressed with the sheer energy he was able to inject into the game as soon as the ball came his way.
It’s true that his kicking was not perfect but he made up for that in the rest of his game, tackling tenaciously way above his weight was very impressive none more so then when he stopped Adam Ashley-Cooper to score a try in the second half.
The new Springbok number nine delivered rapid, snappy ball to the backs that looked for the first time capable of matching the best runners in the game. One wonders just how Ricky would have coped with the pace of the game who has looked liked he is passing medicine balls this season.
It was the effervescent Hougaard who produced a switch pass to let flank Juan Smith run in under the posts and nine minutes before the break Hougaard latched onto a pop pass, slipped through a gap and then found Pierre Spies who went over under the posts. He was the stand out player for the duration of the match and it was a pleasure to behold.
In all Francois Hougaard set up three of the Boks' five tries and made a match-saving tackle when the home side were on the rack in the last quarter. It was a performance that has hopefully given Ricky more time to do the things he loves most. “Livin’ the Vida loco?”
Who's going to be our next coach? I have an answer but I'm waiting for yours plz not quota coach
