Four South Africa takeaways from Wales' tour of SA
Context is the lifeblood of elite sport. There has to be a purpose for tens of thousands of people cram into a stadium to watch millionaires they’ve never met kick and chase and throw a ball around. Oh sure, it’s a lot of fun, and the escapism is certainly alluring, but there’s a reason why we distinguish ‘friendlies’ to those contests that matter.
South Africa beat Wales in Cape Town to claim the three-Test series and ensure that at least one of the southern hemisphere’s big three triumphed against their northern rivals. That in itself provides some context to the affair. There’s enough scaffolding to drape a narrative over. A 30-14 win. A series victory. National pride. The Bokke doing it for the country.
But we know that these mid-year Tests are viewed within a broader piece. Of course Ireland’s historic achievement in New Zealand is worthy of great admiration in its own right, and the slug-fest between Australia and England was captivating without any tangential sub-plots. But with just over a year until the next World Cup, it’s understandable that we view these matches through the prism of the global showpiece in France.
So, what lessons have we learned? What have we gleaned from South Africa’s stuttering, but seemingly inevitable, success?
South Africa need a Plan B on attack
There was a moment during the first half of the third Test where South Africa were pounding away at the Welsh line. Jaden Henrikse would fetch the ball from the base of the ruck, fizz it short to a behemoth in green and move five metres to the next ruck to do it all over again. And again. And again. And again.
Every carry advanced the ball upfield by a few centimetres. It was progress. But it was slow. And though Handre Pollard would eventually score with a busting carry of his own, it all felt a little plodding.
Pragmatists would argue that the ends justifies the means. A try is worth five points whether it’s scored off the back of a rolling maul or through an 80 metre counterattack involving half the squad.
It was, however, frustrating watching a side with creative and skilful backs, let alone a handful of forwards capable of expanding beyond a one dimensional approach, turn themselves into crude blunt objects. That the try was scored by the team’s flyhalf acting as a battering ram was indicative of a one dimensional philosophy.
A new approach is needed. Not just for thrills but to shift the focus of attack when Plan A encounters stubborn resistance. They have the personnel to move the ball at pace, to bring their dynamic runners into the game from unexpected angles, to play against the grain and probe in the wide channels.
Cheslin Kolbe’s injury is a concern. All too often the Springboks have banked on a piece of individual brilliance from the hot-stepper. Fitness is a fickle concept and he may not be around for every crunch game. Should that be the case, South Africa will wish they’d cultivated an alternative mode of attack.
Flyhalf remains a major concern
It was painful watching Elton Jantjies have a nightmare in the opening Test of the series. A polarising figure on the field, the former Lions flyhalf is among the most enterprising playmakers in the world when he’s on form.
Sadly, those games are few and far between and his stinker in Pretoria could well be his last for the Springboks. At least it would be if South Africa had greater depth in this crucial position.
Handre Pollard’ grip on the No 10 jersey has tightened. Not because he shot the lights out in the two games he started, but because no one else is a ready-made deputy.
Manie Libbok, Chris smith and Curwin Bosch impressed over the United Rugby Championship, but they evidently haven’t yet earned the faith of Jacques Nienaber and his coaching staff. Damien Willemse stepped into the void once Jantjies was hooked at half time in the opening game and performed admirably.
Nienaber, though, has likened the versatile Willemse to the Francois Steyn, revealing his intentions for the 24-year-old utility back. Willemse is certainly capable of dictating a game at 10, but starting him at 15 or off the bench affords the Springboks coach greater flexibility, as well as the option of seelcting six forwards among his Bomb Squad replacements.
This means that, more than any other player in the squad, the fitness and form of Pollard is of the utmost importance. There’s a strong case to be made that he is the most valuable player to his team’s cause in world rugby.
Depth isn’t as strong as we’d like to believe (which is good)
Despite fielding six uncapped players and making a raft of changes to the squad that pipped the first Test, many South African pundits and punters expected the Springboks to snatch the second. Few predicted it would be a romp, but given the depth of South African rugby, and the positivity emanating an all South African affair in the URC final, there was founded belief that South Africa’s second-stringers would turn over the Welsh.
It wasn’t to be. Not just because of Gareth Anscombe’s late heroics but because the Springboks failed to capitalise on their territorial dominance and were inept at constructing a try threatening move.
Their defeat, their first ever on home soil to Wales, provoked the expected histrionics and lamentations from fans who believe in the preordained supremacy of their beloved Springboks.
But here’s the thing. That reverse was a positive for South African rugby. Not only did the bloody nose inject some much needed humility into the organisation, it also underlined the theory that that there is a gargantuan step up from franchise rugby to the elite Test level. That learning experience can only develop those players on the fringe. The entire ecosystem is better for it.
Springboks know how to win when it counts
This final lesson is one we all know by now. When the Springboks need to win a game, when the context of the match is elevated, they find a way. They won’t win over any neutrals by doing it their way. In fact, they might turn a few sitting on the fence against them. But when a series is on the line, when there is jeopardy in the next line-out or scrum, the Springboks find a way.
Winning is a habit. Do it enough and you get hooked to it. It becomes addictive. You need it. You’d do anything to get your fix. The Springboks are triumph junkies. They can’t get enough.
They’ll play a brand critics might label as boring, they’ll sit in press conferences and explain why the world is against them, they’ll espouse a calling greater than themselves that extends beyond the boundary and reaches into slums around the country. They may even edit an hour long video pinpointing a referee’s mistakes.
All of this is done to win rugby matches. To lift titles. To claim series. They’ve done that yet again. And as they move towards the Rugby Championship and start building towards their World Cup title defence, they’ll take heart in the knowledge that they’ve succeeded again when it mattered. Forget context. That’s what really counts.
Comments on RugbyPass
Wow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
1 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
1 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
16 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
16 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
3 Go to commentsJake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
16 Go to comments