Rugby: Boks get priority this year

Jan Serfontein of South Africa dives over to score the opening try during the QBE Intenational match between England and South Africa. Photo / Getty Images

Finally, the Springboks are top priority in a World Cup year.

Players such as the Du Plessis brothers, Bismarck and Jannie, locks Eben Etzebeth and Victor Matfield, loose forward Willem Alberts and five-eighths Handre Pollard and Pat Lambie are to be rested at key times during the Super Rugby competition, which starts this weekend.

Franchises have at last heeded Bok boss Heyneke Meyer's call to have players managed correctly before the World Cup in the UK, which kicks off in September.

The Boks have also been boosted by the announcement that Professor Pieter Kruger, who holds a PhD in clinical and performance psychology from the North West University, will join the Boks team management as performance psychologist for the duration of the season in a consultancy capacity.

Kruger was part of the Lions management last year during the Super Rugby and Absa Currie Cup campaigns.

He has also worked with among others, the Leopards Rugby Union, NWU-Pukke ACT Brumbies, England's Harlequins rugby club, and the Chelsea and Arsenal football clubs.

"It's wonderful to know we have the support and co-operation of the franchises as the Springboks prepare for the Rugby World Cup, and we'd like to wish them all the best for the forthcoming months of Super Rugby," said Saru chief executive Jurie Roux.

"It's great to have Pieter on board and I know he will make a huge difference for the Springboks," said Meyer.

Meyer has lamented over-playing the Boks in the past and it now appears the Super Rugby franchises will work together with the national coach to ensure his chosen men are in prime condition come September.

This year certain players' game time will be handled on an individual basis, depending on a player's work load last year and injuries.

Key Boks could this year end up playing only 10 to 12 of the 16 Super Rugby games. The Springboks open their season against a World XV in Cape Town on July 11, a week after the Super Rugby final. The match was initially scheduled for late August.

- Independent Newspapers, SA