Rugby: New Bok face in openside arms race

No one would dare suggest that Heinrich Brussow, the Springbok flanker who is recovering from a knee injury and operation, has somehow been usurped as the new prince of rugby scavengers.

There is a new man in town, though, and playing to different rules.

Rugby's determination to give attacking teams a fairer deal at the breakdown, and Brussow's injury, have opened a fairly large door for Francois Louw's entry into the Springbok team.

Louw made his debut in Cardiff this year and has been a constant in a number of loose forward combinations used in four tests, and has won accolades along the way.

The Tri-Nations, which begins at Eden Park tomorrow night, will start to set the scene for next year's World Cup and further indicate how the new rugby law interpretation will affect the international game.

Brussow was a revelation for the Springboks when he announced his international arrival against the British and Irish Lions last year, in a series the home side almost blew, one which the tourists belatedly realised was there for the taking.

While the Springboks dallied, Brussow grabbed his chance with determined hands that proved to be the best in the business at snaffling opponents' ball.

In those days, possession was a long way from being nine-tenths of the law, and the stealers had ridiculous rights.

Brussow, at a mere 1.8m, small by modern standards, was low to the ground and built to move in for the kill.

The job has got a lot tougher now, because of the change forcing tacklers to clearly release their prey before hacking after the ball.

The first thing that strikes you about Louw is his size. At 1.9m, and 112kg, he would have been an absolute giant in the playing days of his late grandfather, the Western Province legend Jan Pickard. Louw, 25, is among a remarkable number of present players with Springbok bloodlines. Within the touring Tri-Nations squad, they include Schalk Burger, Andries Bekker and Ruan Pienaar, whose fathers wore the famous jersey, and test newcomer Flip van der Merwe is also in this category.

Absent halfback Fourie du Preez is a nephew of the legendary Springboks forward Frik du Preez.

Pickard, a man of high rugby honours and big business, was a lock in the Springbok team which toured here in 1956, when New Zealand lay in wait, determined to exact revenge for the mauling the All Blacks received in South Africa seven years earlier.

Pickard played in one test, the second in Wellington, when he was installed as a tight-playing No 8, the only test the tourists won as South Africa suffered its first series defeat of the 20th century.

Louw, who has often spoken of the pride he has in his grandfather's achievements, will be an interesting test case for the new laws.

The Springboks are able to field a hulking loose forward combo. Louw, Burger and Pierre Spies - if established as the frontline trio - are of almost identical, large proportions.

This would represent revolution rather than evolution, against the stereotypical loose forward make-up of a smaller openside, a lean and taller lineout option at blindside and a power-packed No 8.

On Brussow, Louw says: "I suppose we play a similar style at the breakdown towards the ball.

"It was difficult with the new laws coming in and he's a guy who has adapted really well - hopefully I can be the same. The object was to get the game flowing more and guys were getting very effective at the breakdown, forcing turnovers and penalties. It has been very tricky to adapt, and tough to get into the breakdown and steal the ball.

"Maybe bigger guys will feature more, though, in carrying the ball rather than just playing a defensive, tackling role."

There will also be a lot of focus on how Richie McCaw fares.

There is little doubt that McCaw, once the master of slowing down opposition ball, is more easily nullified under the new rule interpretations.

This is evidence of a game that is ever evolving and Louw dared to predict further breakdown law changes.

Heaven forbid - we're still getting used to the latest changes.