Wessels relishing his utility value after strong Nations Championship campaign

Springbok front ranker Jan-Hendrik Wessels showed his incredibly useful utility value for the national team during three cameo appearances for the Boks during the July Nations Championship Tests.

Wessels was named as the reserve hooker for the first two Tests, against England and Scotland, before being selected as the loosehead prop replacement for last week’s win over Wales.

But the 25-year-old showed the value of having someone who can play two positions in the front row, after he was shifted around over the first two games.

Against the English, after an early injury to prop Ox Nche, the Boks sent Gerhard Steenekamp on in the first half and then changed their strategy, as they held Wessels back before he came on for Steenekamp during the final quarter of the match, while Malcolm Marx stayed at hooker throughout.

In the Scotland game, Wessels again came on at prop, this time at the start of the second half for Boan Venter, before he switched to hooker at the start of the final quarter when Ntuthuko Mchunu entered the fray.

But against Wales Wessels finally fully played the position he was assigned to, coming on for Steenekamp early in the second half and seeing out the match at loosehead prop.

After the game Wessels said he was enjoying the challenge of switching between roles when needed, and that scrum coach Daan Human, forwards coach Deon Davids, defence coach Jerry Flannery and technical analyst Joe Lewis had prepared him well for it.

Well prepared

“I think training-wise they prepare me really well. Scrum-wise and with the line-outs, Joe helps me, Jerry helps me, coach Daan Human and coach Deon Davids. They don’t throw me into the deep end,” explained Wessels.

“Like this week (against Wales) I was playing loosehead, so I trained the whole week at loosehead. Most of my games at the Bulls have been at loosehead as well.

“The England game I didn’t play hooker, so I went on at loosehead. The Scotland game I went on at prop first, maybe just to calm the nerves a bit and get comfortable with the tempo of the game before moving to hooker later.

“I actually enjoy it. The whole management and coaching staff make it comfortable during the week so that I’m prepared on Saturday.”

Against the Welsh, the Springbok pack was in terrific form, with the starting front row of Steenekamp, Marx and debutant Carlu Sadie setting a big platform from which replacements Wessels, Andre-Hugo Venter and Wilco Louw continued dominating.

“We always pride ourselves on our scrums. The biggest part of our game is putting pressure on the opposition and giving our backs good ball,” said Wessels.

“The front row that starts sets a great standard for us coming off the bench. It motivates us because we don’t want to let the team down after seeing what they have done before us. It makes us even more excited when we get the opportunity to go on.”