PRETORIA - Can Springbok coach Allister Coetzee please make Curwin Bosch a Springbok - not next year or at the end of this year, but when the French come to our shores in June for the three-Test series.
The 19-year-old, who hails from the Eastern Cape, has done more than sufficient so far in Super Rugby to convince me that he is the real deal.
Bosch proved on Saturday at Ellis Park against the Lions that not only does he possess a lethal kicking boot but he is also a kid for the big moments.
That thing called big match temperament has often been the undoing of many schoolboy rugby prodigies, but not Bosch.
Bosch collected man-of-the-match awards against the Waratahs and Cheetahs where he single-handedly gave his Sharks team the wins with his kicking and ability to create magic out of nothing. It is almost as if Bosch waits for the big moments in order for his talent to explode, and that is a good thing - not only for the Sharks, but for the Springboks as well.
Just like the Sharks and other South African franchises have struggled with the form of their flyhalves, the Springboks are no different, but that could all come to an end if Coetzee just does the right thing and gives Bosch a chance in the number 10 jersey.
That BMT was laid bare for all to see against the Lions as the Sharks fronted up physically and Bosch gave them territory and points on the board with his big right boot.
He wasn’t afraid to take the long range penalties, nor was he scared to take cheeky drop-goals when the opportunities presented themselves.
That long range penalty from almost 70metres out almost won the Sharks the game, and it was reminiscent of Pat Lambie’s winning penalty for the Boks against the All Blacks in 2014.
That is exactly what the Boks need, a flyhalf not scared of the big moments and one who thrives on them.
The Boks need a flyhalf who has ice coursing through his veins, in the same way Morne Steyn had at the peak of his powers with the Bulls and the Boks when they beat the All Blacks and won the series against the British and Irish Lions.
I’ve heard arguments about Bosch's age and that he is still young and must be given time to establish himself, and the obvious argument about his lack of defence.
Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Fortunately rugby is not played by age and if you are good enough, you are old enough.
Tackling is something that Bosch does need to work on, without a doubt, but until he can learn to take down the likes of Hurricanes and All Black wing Julian Savea, he will have to be protected in the same way the Sharks have done so far in Super Rugby, and the same manner the All Blacks have done with Beauden Barrett, who is arguably the best player on the planet.
If it is a running game that we seek to play as a national team, and also want a reliable kicker for posts, then Bosch is the answer.
The nice thing about Bosch is his ability to play at fullback and flyhalf, which gives any team versatility on attack and keeps the opposition guessing as they don’t know where he will come from either at number 10 or number 15.
Photo: Gerhard Duraan, BackpagePix
For far too long South African rugby has been its own worst enemy, coming up with all sorts of excuses as to why we should not exploit our homegrown talent and the strengths of the forgotten millions that play the game but are often told they are not good enough or should bide their time, proving themselves in lower levels of the game.
If we are to be successful as a country and with Super Rugby franchises, we need to break free of the shackles of conservativism and play to the strengths that many of our players possess.
Make Bosch a Springbok.
And give the likes of Damian Willemse and Manie Libbok a chance as well.
They may not be old enough, but they are good enough, and probably better than the lot we’ve backed with no joy for the Springboks in the past year.