Bok skipper John Smit (Gallo Images)

Comment: Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer

Cape Town – Intelligence, judiciousness and common sense in team selection are going to be essential if the Springboks, tottering at “nought from two”, are to stave off a blanket European tour fiasco.

Following events in Toulouse on Friday, both the dirt-trackers and senior Test sides now have bloodied noses - indeed, the claret is more widespread than that in certain cases - and dented egos.

But respect can yet be rescued if the Boks unearth inventive reserves of energy to finish the five-match mission significantly better than they started it, especially if Italy (more obviously, you would hope) and the very credible Ireland are knocked over in the remaining internationals.

First some perspective: it’s a cliché, but losing to a fired-up France, once-off in their own backyard at the fag end of an arduous season, is far from the end of the world.

It doesn’t suddenly make the French world-beaters – although the rich merit of this triumph was eye-opening – nor does it dramatically relegate South Africa to the realm of rubbish.

Only the callous and the stupid would contend that.

Circumstance almost certainly played a part – and “circumstance” is this cynical, inhumane but inevitable, financially-dictated northern hemisphere expedition, flying in the face of scientists’ particularly deafening burnout warnings at present.

Following a uniquely demanding year, everyone knows the country’s rugby cream should be relaxing around the braaivleis or frolicking in the surf rather than playing still more infernal matches.

Many Springboks wore the badge with admirable pride in Toulouse – captain John Smit certainly among them – but where hearts and minds were willing, bones and muscles simply were not.

Not even a Rastafarian anthem-singer who seemed to have dragged once too often on Malawi Gold, causing no little South African indignation or mirth, could spark a furious enough fire in the collective Bok belly.

Hats off to France: they were clever, sometimes creative, murderously committed in the tackle and at the ruck and, disconcertingly all over again from a tourists’ perspective, certainly rulers of the set-scrummaging roost.

I agree with the ever-opinionated but perceptive John Robbie: yes, South Africa did quite well to restrict the damage to 20-13 on the night.

Under-strength combo

What now? There’s no doubt in my mind what the Boks need to do: risk (and I admit it is that) resting some of their exhausted senior, older troops for the Test in Udine, back a mildly under-strength combo to do the “Italian job” by hook or by crook … and then throw one last A-team kitchen sink at Ireland in Dublin.

Whatever the likelihood that it would give the weakest Six Nations side a hopeful sniff next weekend, I believe this formula is necessary if the Boks are to give themselves a chance of ending on a welcome high by beating the champion Irish.

There is still a dangerous midweek banana peel to consider against Saracens, of course, but the priority must obviously be doing what is best for the Test side to skirt true calamity over the next fortnight.

With that in mind, temporary cotton wool is required for the notably labouring entire front row of Smit, Bismarck du Plessis and Beast Mtawarira – the last-named player has really gone off the boil in recent weeks and may be extremely emotionally burdened, into the bargain, by the furore surrounding his eligibility for South Africa.

Victor Matfield is finally creaking at year’s end, too, and deserves decommissioning for a week.

Ideally, lock partner Bakkies Botha, who got a bad gash to the head and may have been cynically “targeted” by the French, ought to sit out as well but perhaps an hour or so of his physicality will be required to snuff the cheeky Italian challenge.

The defeat to France arguably served confirmation that Ryan Kankowski is a horse rather better suited to speedier “southern” courses, and either of Ashley Johnson (one of few success stories against Leicester Tigers) or the versatile Danie Rossouw could do more of a brick-outhouse task at No 8, where Pierre Spies’s absence was keenly felt in Toulouse.

For that matter, Friday’s game cried out for Juan Smith’s uncompromising, no-frills sort of game at No 7: at least he is at home recuperating and recharging his batteries for 2010.

The Boks must also pull their scrumhalf inspiration Fourie du Preez out of the Italian mix, to be able to field him at best possible energy levels for the tour finale at Croke Park.

When as faithful a servant as Du Preez confesses, before Euro departure, to some fatigue, it is fair to assume he is absolutely knackered.

So if Smit and Matfield were to sit out Italy, in whose hands do you place the captaincy? I feel this is not an unrealistic opportunity to gauge the articulate young Dewald Potgieter’s credentials not only as a Test-level leader but flank in the top arena simultaneously.

Without the benefit of full, post-France injury reports and the like, my Springbok XV to face Italy, then, might look something like this: Zane Kirchner, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier, Bryan Habana, Morne Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, Ashley Johnson (or Danie Rossouw), Dewald Potgieter (capt), Heinrich Brussow, Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, CJ van der Linde, Adriaan Strauss, Wian du Preez.