Analysis: How the Springboks shut down the All Blacks' attack and delivered a historical defensive performance
The All Blacks were restricted to just 16 points compared to 34 on the same ground in the corresponding fixture last year. This is a simple indication that this Springbok side is a much better defensive side.
However more specifically, when faced with the same situations they handled them much better this year. They showed improved defensive awareness as a unit based on lessons learned and adapted much quicker to shut down the attack with relentless high-line pressure.
They were able to contain the All Blacks to just a solitary try conceded on a turnover ‘click’ play often shutting down everything else, and put in a historically good defensive performance.
Fool me once
The All Blacks seem to like to use specific ‘21’ patterns from the lineout against the Springboks, designed to create mismatches with speedsters like Beauden Barrett and Damian McKenzie on third phase switches.
Much of these plays are spearheaded around using a ‘skinny’ option play off the flyhalf on the first phase to set up the first ruck, before carrying around the corner to use two-thirds of the width of the field.
The ‘skinny’ play relies on short passing in tight space to target the 10-12 channel or sometimes the 12-13 using the backdoor wing option.
In last year’s test, Beauden Barrett plays Rieko Ioane out the back who crashes into winger Jesse Kriel (playing centre at this stage), while Ryan Crotty (12) offers a late support line.
Again on Saturday, the All Blacks started their lineout starter plays with the same move.
With Sonny Bill Williams (12) and Rieko Ioane (11) presenting big, strong ball carriers, the All Blacks have a high chance of reaching the gain line and punching through with momentum using this play.
If the call is a ‘21’ pattern, a pod of three will come around the corner on the second phase to set up the ‘axis’ ruck from which the switch will occur on the third phase.
A tell that shows the All Blacks are setting up for a strike on the later phases is the 10 on the ‘skinny’ play often plays the pass a touch early. He can’t risk ball-playing too late and getting tackled as he tends to have a key role to play later on. If he is put on the ground it can throw everything out.
In ’21’ plays, often he needs to be used as bait to lure the defence over or he is used as the key switch runner tacking across the field. If he is out of position because he’s pinned to the ground it throws a spanner in the works.
Last year, the Springboks were guilty of overcommitting after the second phase carry.
Just as Damian McKenzie (23) and Beauden Barrett (10) appear to move towards the left side, a host of Boks fold around the corner to defend the other side.
The All Blacks catch them short on a double-screen pass play and only last-ditch cover defence stops McKenzie scoring in the corner.
Early in the first half the All Blacks set-up a multi-phase raid attacking the same edge with a similar ’21’ switch play installed on the third phase.
This time Richie Mo’unga (10) hits Williams (12) with a short pass on the first phase ‘skinny’ play.
Even before the carry around the corner comes on the second phase, centre Lukhanyo Am (13) has diagnosed the pattern unfolding and calls for defenders to stay on the far side.
Kieran Read (8) takes the carry followed by a host of support players while Am is still scanning with eyes up. We can see Beauden Barrett (15) slowly beginning his path back across for the switch.
Often the difficulty with identifying these plays is the ‘picture’ the defence sees doesn’t come into focus until the last second.
The players involved in the first ‘skinny’ play are all on the ground, with only Codie Taylor stationed out wide. For Eben Etzebeth (4) and Faf de Klerk (9), they see empty space in front of them.
It is easy for the defence to ignore this side of the field and fold. However, in less than a second, the players on the ground will re-load, Barrett will time his run, and all the pieces will fall into place.
As the re-loading starts to take place, Am (13) is now 100% sure what is happening and signals for his forwards to stay put.
Am jumps up and down whilst screaming instructions over, which are adhered to. The Springboks re-load the defence on the far side with solid numbers to counter the switch.
The All Blacks use the flat two-man clearing pod to get faster width, with TJ Perenara (9) feeding Sonny Bill Williams directly out behind.
Williams (12) tries to play Barrett (15) behind Taylor on a screen pass, but it doesn’t come together well enough and Pollard (10) makes a good read, rushing up to force Barrett back inside and shuts down the play.
Faf de Klerk also has Rieko Ioane covered on the outside and the All Blacks are unable to create an overlap to exploit.
The ‘comms’ from Lukhanyo Am is an integral part of the Springboks ability to shut this down effectively, seen below at the bottom right of the screen.
Last week against Argentina we saw the All Blacks move completely away from a commonly used 1-3-3-1 pod system, using a two-man clearing pod to move the ball away from the high-pressure zone closest to the ruck.
It was the frequency with which they used this system, one which they have used before, that surprised. The All Blacks used it close to 100% of the time in a massive change geared towards creating more free-flowing rugby.
They continued with that approach against the Springboks but the visitors came prepared using subtle changes to combat it.
Workhorse flanker and unsung hero of last year’s win, Pieter-Steph Du Toit, was often found patrolling the midfield channel, rather than in close next to the ruck.
As the All Blacks flushed the ball past the first clearout pod, Du Toit was able to bring pressure from the middle consistently without fail.
He was constantly up in the face of the attack, forcing the play back inside at times as passing lanes were blocked.
The Springboks successfully prevented the All Blacks getting the ball past the rush defence in the middle third to the open space wider.
When it did, it often became static ball due to the work of players like Jesse Kriel and Cheslin Kolbe jamming in hard to pressure players receiving offloads.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B0dt-mgIyz_/
Late in the second half, they started to drop off under fatigue as the All Blacks’ play started to make in-roads, but they were still able to hold on.
Kieran Read respected the Boks enough to take points on offer, instead of testing them with the driving maul which worked well in both tests last year.
The Springboks aggressive defence looked much more assured this time round, which in the end delivered a historically good output. The 16 points scored is the third-lowest at home under Steve Hansen’s watch, and the sixth-lowest considering away tests as well.
This should please Rassie Erasmus as he knows that pressure-cooker World Cup games aren’t going to be decided by tries and a smart, hard-working defensive unit can be the cornerstone of a championship side.
His side is still on the up and making rapid improvements towards becoming one.
Jordie Barrett expected to re-sign with NZR:
Comments on RugbyPass
So if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
67 Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
1 Go to commentsOur very own monster teddy bear Ox😍💪
17 Go to commentsThis is might be the most generalised, entitled, patronising, out-of-pocket cultural indictment on a group of people you’ll ever see on what is supposedly a sports publication. I can only assume the author is weak like a woman or homosexual. I’m feeling an incredible range of emotions but I am not quite sure how to express them. I might go beat up a hockey player - assuming that’s okay with Duane and the boys? 🙂
9 Go to commentsBest thing the Welsh clubs could do is apply to join Gallagher prem surely be more exciting matches for there support than they have now.
2 Go to commentsRugbyPass writers are useless! you guys should get a real job because you all suck at writing about rugby!!!
9 Go to commentslooking forward to RWC2027 …. Boks on mission impossible for the Three-in-a-row, ABs to prove they being on par, France wishing to crown the “DuPont-era”, Ireland knocking on the Semi-Door ….. until then we’ll probably have to deal with Weird Ben’s fantasy-RWC23 (fun fact is, the drivel always creates a flooding of comments) …..
221 Go to commentsBen Smith you really make some good points in this article, the Springboks were not close to perfect and good still beat the All Blacks, imagine if they were as good as they were against France what a hiding the All Blacks would have gotten… maybe another Twickenham drubbing
221 Go to commentsIt is a good argument to keep the Rebels for one more year but also isnt this just opening the door as well for keeping them beyond 2025. If they can create some sort of financial stability in the next year and if their performances lift as they have this season then how would RA even cull them after that? It might be the most cost effective decision at this stage and perhaps many people are guilty of keeping relationships going because of the cost to decouple but then again when does that ever work out well?
24 Go to commentsDear Ben Smith you are a genius! God please become the next all blacks coach that can take on the mighty BOKS. Your rugby acumen is second to none - imagine your dads sperm bounced as unfortunately as that oval ball did….we would not be blessed with your presence. Just as the all blacks were missing a man you too are missing a chromosome for 80% of your life, so your insights are not only profound but ring true from your own experiences. Just as the TMO interfered with citing an illegal pass I am sure your local authorities interfere with your illegal passes you make on women - How dare they!!! God forbid that rugby be officiated fairly. You are the right man for the job. Next all blacks coach is here ladies and gentlemen Miss Ben Smith (He/She/They/IT)
221 Go to commentsHuge engine this guy and great to see him back ..The amount of clean outs he does at the ruck are ridiculous !!
3 Go to commentsThe level of desperation in this article is just embarrassing.
221 Go to commentsSome silly trolling in the comments.
9 Go to commentsEverywhere you turn some irish journo is advocating Ireland as the greatest, reasoning that the wc is a 4 year cycle event so, they say wc doesn’t matter it’s the rugby in between that should account for the accolade. If there was no wc then some substance could be gained, however in my opinion the moment that defined Ireland’s fate against the abs was 37 phases of repeated head bashing against a brick wall. If a change in strategy or a tinker with the game plan was executed then things could've been vastly different. And to point a finger the let down was in the hands of the number 10.
67 Go to commentsI have heard it asked if RA is essentially one of the part owners and I suppose therefor should be on the other side of these two parties. If they purchased the rebels and guaranteed them, and are responsible enough they incur Rebels penalties, where is this line drawn? Seems rough to have to pay a penalty for something were your involvement sees you on the side of the conned party, the creditors. If the Rebels directors themselves have given the club their money, 6mil worth right, why aren’t they also listed as sitting with RA and the Tax office? And the legal threat was either way, new Rebels or defunct, I can’t see how RA assume the threat was less likely enough to warrant comment about it in this article. Surely RA ignore that and only worry about whether they can defend it or not, which they have reported as being comfortable with. So in effect wouldn’t it be more accurate to say there is no further legal threat (or worry) in denying the deal. Unless the directors have reneged on that. > Returns of a Japanese team or even Argentinean side, the Jaguares, were said to be on the cards, as were the ideas of standing up brand new teams in Hawaii or even Los Angeles – crazy ideas that seemingly forgot the time zone issues often cited as a turn-off for viewers when the competition contained teams from South Africa. Those timezones are great for SR and are what will probably be needed to unlock its future (cant see it remaining without _atleast _help from Aus), day games here are night games on the West Coast of america, were potential viewers triple, win win. With one of the best and easiest ways to unlock that being to play games or a host a team there. Less good the further across Aus you get though. Jaguares wouldn’t be the same Jaguares, but I still would think it’s better having them than keeping the Rebels. The other options aren’t really realistic 25’ options, no. From reading this authors last article I think if the new board can get the investment they seem to be confident in, you keeping them simply for the amount of money they’ll be investing in the game. Then ditch them later if they’re not good enough without such a high budget. Use them to get Jaguares reintergration stronger, with more key players on board, and have success drive success.
24 Go to commentsYeah, and ours is waaay bigger than yours. Just as you's get a semi…oh hold on that never happens
67 Go to commentsLove watching
1 Go to commentsThe Melbourne Rebels lineout is a complete disaster so not surprisingly a kiwi coach of the Wallabies hires the worst lineout coach in the country and a foreigner to boot. No surprises whatsoever here…….
6 Go to commentsThank your for wasting 2 minutes of my life Daniel. There is a useful message in there somewhere but your delivery sucks.
9 Go to commentsBen Smith, you are cry baby
221 Go to comments