All three pivots were all over the park in an intense training session in Johannesburg ahead of the encounter at Ellis Park, where the Boks will look to bounce back and even the series ahead of the final test in Port Elizabeth next week.
Port Elizabeth’s Springbok backline coach, Mzwandile Stick, gave an indication that Jantjies would be the undisputed starter, while he was less confident of who would provide cover from the bench between Steyn, with 60 caps for the Boks, or April, who is yet to make his national debut.
Allister Coetzee was placed in the predicament following the concussion to his first-choice No 10, Pat Lambie, who is out of action this weekend after a collision with SA-born Irish flanker CJ Stander early in the 20-26 defeat at Newlands last weekend.
“This weekend we have Jantjies, who has a good kicking game,” Stick said.
“The coach will make the final call between Garth April and Morne Steyn, who has a really good head on his shoulders.
“If you talk about game management, you cannot ask for better than Morne Steyn, who has been there before and has the experience. That is someone I think we, as a team, need,” Stick said.
While South Africa will be lamenting the loss of Lambie, the Irish too are unhappy about losing Stander, who was given a red card.
George-born Stander was handed a one-match ban, which the Irish feel was harsh.
“We are disappointed in the verdict,” Ireland’s skills coach Richie Murphy said yesterday.
“It’s one of those things, a player was injured on the pitch. It was never the intention from CJ.
