Cape Town - Former Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold believes the Springboks are developing into a formidable outfit, with flyhalf Elton Jantjies playing a pivotal role.
Gold, who is the current director of rugby at the Worcester Warriors in England, has been impressed by the Springboks’ efforts in 2017.
The Boks had a torrid 2016 season, winning only four out of 12 Tests in Allister Coetzee’s first season in charge, but have won their first four Tests this year.
A 3-0 series win over France was backed up by a 37-15 win over Argentina in Port Elizabeth last weekend.
Via a column for the TimesLIVE website, Gold heaped praise on the Boks’ efforts and also made special mention of Jantjies.
Jantjies copped heavy criticism for his international performances in 2016, but has been on song in 2017.
“While the collective effort of the team was outstanding - there is something really special brewing in this Springbok side - Elton Jantjies' performance against the South Americans was a masterclass in flyhalf play. The 27-year-old pivot, who is the fulcrum of the side, dictated terms and contributed 17 points from the boot,” Gold wrote.
“I hope the public can now acknowledge that in Jantjies we possess a world-class flyhalf. In the forward pack, Franco Mostert was absolutely sublime, and the back-row comprising Uzair Cassiem, Jaco Kriel and Siya Kolisi worked well in tandem during their first Test as a loose trio combination.”
Gold also lauded the addition of Brendan Venter to the coaching staff, saying last Saturday's win was due to a well-organised defensive structure.
In April this year, Gold was named permanent director of rugby at Worcester, having joined them on an interim basis in January.
The 50-year-old committed to the role after leading the side to safety in the English Premiership.
CLICK HERE to read Gary Gold’s full column on the TimesLIVE website