Springbok utility back Canan Moodie is likely to start on the wing this weekend for the second time this season, after starting twice at centre as well.
Springbok utility back Canan Moodie is managing his backline juggling act as best as possible, with him likely set to line up on the wing for the second straight game when they take on the All Blacks in their Rugby Championship match at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday.
In recent times Moodie has been settling into the No 13 jersey for club and country, and it seemed that was the position he was going to be backed in going forward, but injuries to Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe has seen him deployed back where it all started for the Boks in 2022.
He scored a stunning debut try against the Wallabies as a 19-year-old, after lining up on the right wing in Sydney, and played most of his early international rugby out wide, but has found himself featuring more in the midfield, since appearing there during their record 35-7 win over the All Blacks at Twickenham in 2023.
This year Moodie started at outside centre for the Boks against Italy in Gqeberha and Georgia in Mbombela, but after the Arendse and Van Der Merwe injuries, was back on the right wing against the Wallabies in Cape Town.
Speaking at a Bok press conference on Tuesday, Moodie admitted that it was tricky covering both positions, but that it helps making that mental switch early in the build up to a game.
“I must say it is a bit tricky. Thirteen is obviously very different to 14 in terms of roles and responsibilities. But I think leading up to a game, it helps to get yourself in the right mindset in where you need to play on the weekend,” explained Moodie.
It’s tricky
“It has been tricky, but I feel like whenever I need to play wing I am fully switched on to doing what a wing needs to do. Which is maybe contesting in the aerial game, being a bit different in defence and all the things that come with that.
“So I think that mental switch you make on a Monday (ahead of a Saturday game) is quite important.”
If he is named in the match 23 as expected this will be Moodie’s third time fronting up against the All Blacks, with him starting in their wins at Twickenham and last year in Cape Town, and he is yet to lose against them, but admits that playing in New Zealand for the first time will be daunting.
“It is a bit intimidating, and due to the magnitude of the match there is going to be pressure. The All Blacks have a lot to play for, especially with their record at Eden Park and it being Ardie Savea’s hundredth game,” said Moodie.
“There is a lot on the line for them. So I think the pressure of the game will definitely be there (for both teams), but we know what we need to do and are focused on doing the job on Saturday.
“There are some external factors that we have to take into account, but the game is very important to us and we will do everything that we can to get a result on Saturday.”
