Versatility is nothing without preparation, says Bok star Jan-Hendrik Wessels

It's no secret that coach Rassie Erasmus values versatility among his players. At the thin edge of the wedge, there's only space for 23 players, so you best be multiskilled.  

Wessels has covered loosehead prop and hooker for the Bulls for the last few seasons. While he began his Bok career at prop, he has been employed at hooker on several occasions now, including against Wales on Saturday.

"I think training-wise they prepare me really well," Wessels told the press after the match in Durban.

"Scrum-wise and with the line-outs, technical analyst Joe Lewis helps me, defence coach Jerry Flannery helps me, scrum coach Daan Human and forwards coach Deon Davids. They don't throw me into the deep end.

"This week playing loosehead, I trained the whole week at loosehead. I think most of my games at the Bulls were at loosehead.

"In the England game I didn't play hooker, so I went on at loosehead. In 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.

"I always tease the loose forwards that if they get slow, they'll have to move to hooker. But being versatile always helps. If something happens at hooker, you've got a guy who can throw in at the line-outs."