Rob Simmons v Lood de Jager - Head-to-Head

Out of South African Rugby’s darkest time at last year’s World Cup sprouted brawny powerhouse Lood de Jager to light up the future.

The funereal mood after the shock loss to Japan might have hung around for the entire tournament but for young-bloods like De Jager standing tall.

De Jager’s efforts were so resonant he won the SA Rugby Player of the Year gong at 23, the youngest winner since Bryan Habana in 2005.

Everything he stood for at the World Cup is what the St.George Queensland Reds have to fear tonight when he plays at Suncorp Stadium as the cornerstone of the Cheetahs pack.

For Reds forward general Rob Simmons it is the sort of Test-quality match-up that he needs to bring out his very best.

At the World Cup, De Jager topped the list for lineout takes, was joint third for lineout steals, made the most tackles (100) and rumbled for 296m as a willing ball-carrier.

It’s the impressive all-round package of skills that all locks try to piece together over 80 minutes.

De Jager and Eben Etzebeth are the best pairing of young locks in the Test game.

“There’s no good-cop bad-cop there, it’s more bad-cop badder-cop,” de Jager said with a smile when talking to World Rugby media at the tournament.

At his best, De Jager plays with high emotion with the way he flings his 120kg frame about to drive his side forward with more than just his physical assets.

With 19 Tests behind him, De Jager has made the start young at international level just as Simmons did when he was blooded in Test Rugby at the age of 21 in 2010.

De Jager’s acumen at the lineout is a skill he groomed beside Boks legend Victor Matfield at the World Cup, just as Simmons absorbed all he could beside James Horwill and Nathan Sharpe.

“Calling the lineouts at the World Cup was a big responsibility,” De Jager told SA Rugby magazine.

“Victor was the best lock in the world for more than 10 years, so I was lucky to have that opportunity to learn from him.”

Simmons, a 60-Test stalwart, says simply improving is not good enough from the Reds when matches have to be taken by the scruff of the neck when the result is in the balance.

“In just about every game this year we have seen moments from the Reds where we are a very good Rugby side,” Simmons said.

“That’s not good enough. We have to be able to close out games.

“Applying ourselves better for the full 80 minutes is the important thing. We can start doing a number on teams if we do that.”

Lock is one position where the Reds are building stocks. Simmons, Cadeyrn Neville and Ben Matwijow have been joined by Queensland Under-20s product Lukhan Tui, who made his debut off the bench against the Stormers on the recent tour.

The home side needs all cylinders firing in the engine room to get the best of the visitors tonight.