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How rugby's current laws are benefitting negative Springboks tactics
The Springboks have struggled to win over fans with their ultra-conservative tactics as they fell to a third straight Rugby Championship defeat last weekend.
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Fresh after their back-to-back losses to the Wallabies, the reigning world champions came up short against the All Blacks in a 19-17 defeat in Townsville that was plagued by countless stoppages and endless kicking by the South Africans.
Most expected the Springboks to continue their kick-heavy approach against the All Blacks after having deployed that strategy against the British and Irish Lions, Los Pumas and the Wallabies in recent months, but even the New Zealanders were surprised by South Africa’s sheer volume of kicking on Saturday.
Making more than double the number of kicks than the All Blacks, the Springboks continued to persist with their game plan even when they were losing late in the match or were presented with strong attacking opportunities.
That style of play has since drawn plenty of criticism, but Springboks head coach Jacques Neinaber and captain Siya Kolisi have indicated they were happy with their approach and indicated they are unlikely to stray from that game plan in this weekend’s rematch against the All Blacks on the Gold Coast.
Among the various critics lamenting the tactics on show from the Springboks was former All Blacks wing Sir John Kirwan, who told The Breakdown this week that South Africa’s strategy bored him “to tears”, regardless of how effective it may or may not be.
“Look, they put us under incredible pressure and we were average at times,” Kirwan said.
“Lineout didn’t function, high-ball was so competitive, and, like Jordie [Barrett] said afterwards, Faf [de Klerk] was putting up kicks that were spiralling and spinning and all that sort of stuff.
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“Let’s not get this wrong, when they play like that, it’s really hard to play against, but mine is a philosophical answer. It bores me to tears. I don’t like it. However, how do you play against it?”
The 1987 World Cup-winner took particular aim at South Africa’s ploy to slow the game down by getting their medics on the field as much and for as long as possible to tend to minor injury issues.
“For me, I thought they were going to give the physio a test cap, she was on that much,” Kirwan joked as he called into the question the values of which the Springboks play the game and suggested they are capable of playing to a higher standard.
“Blood bin? Get the blood off, get people on. Is that within the values of our game? They do it really well, but, for me, I think South Africa has more to offer.
“This year the Springboks have adopted a playing style that is foreign to themselves.”
– @bensmithrugby on why this current game plan by South Africa isn’t ‘DNA’ and never was. #NZLvRSA #RSAvNZL #RugbyChampionship https://t.co/71ayuUyZUv— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 28, 2021
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“When Kolisi says after the game, ‘That’s our DNA’, although he’s the captain and I don’t really want to discredit him because he is a way better player than I ever was and a great man, however I don’t think that is their DNA.
“They have outstanding outside backs. They’ve had some of the best outside backs in the last decade.”
The former Italy, Japan and Blues head coach went on to express concerns over whether other teams will have to adopt a similar playing style to the Springboks to achieve success at upcoming World Cups.
“Is that style of rugby gonna be the style of rugby that wins World Cups now, and are we just going to all be bored at a World Cup? Or, are we going to say, as rugby people, ‘We don’t like this, people, we want to run the ball’?”
Black Ferns Sevens star and Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Ruby Tui agreed with Kirwan’s sentiments as she said his comments about how South Africa’s game plan could impact the World Cup in years to come are valid.
Tui told The Breakdown that she also isn’t a fan of the way the Springboks are playing, but said it was understandable that they have adopted such tactics given the way in which the current laws of the game favour attacking kicks.
Among the numerous experimental law changes being trialled by World Rugby in this year’s Rugby Championship include the 50/22 rule and goal-line drop-outs.
The 50/22 law allows teams that can kick the ball out of play in the opposition’s 22 from inside their own half, or kick it out of play inside the opposition’s half from their own 22, to have the throw-in from the ensuing lineout.
Goal-line drop-outs are being awarded to teams instead of five-metre scrums or 22-metre drop-outs when a player is held up in-goal, an attacking player knocks the ball on in-goal or an attacking kick is grounded by the defenders in their own in-goal.
Tui said those law variations, as well as the increased influence of the television match official, are playing into South Africa’s hands and are counter-intuitive to the attacking brand of rugby that fans want to see.
The All Blacks’ newest hooker is making waves both around the park and in the engine room ?
Nick Bishop ??
? https://t.co/QWi9Exdrqa pic.twitter.com/SE1cX7cXg5
— The XV Rugby (@TheXV) September 28, 2021
“JK asked, ‘Is this how we are going to win World Cups?’ I think the way the rules are moving, it’s actually favouring that, the way the TMO is getting more involved,” she told The Breakdown.
“We look at [Bryan] Habana here in his prime, there’s nothing more I’d want to watch than the All Blacks vs South Africa with an amazing back three running into the line, injecting themselves into the game, but they’ve changed the rules.
“The 50/22, the kicking favouring the attacking team now, so your question, JK, is extremely relevant. The way the game is moving forward might not favour what we want right now.”
Former All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson, meanwhile, said that he doesn’t feel threatened by the Springboks as he believes they haven’t developed a game plan that allows them to fulfil their attacking potential to beat the All Blacks or Wallabies.
“For me, and we talked about this and we talked about it in the post-match show, I just see them having so much more potential than that,” Wilson told The Breakdown.
“You look at the record of this team, and this is what I want to talk about, the last 20 years, we’ve played them 44 times, 33-10-1 [in favour of the All Blacks]. The last 10 years, 19 times, 15-3-1 [in favour of the All Blacks].
“… This is why I’m not concerned about South Africa, the fact that we know exactly what to expect. We knocked them out at a semi-final in the Rugby World Cup in 2015. We beat them in the first round last time in 2019.
“I don’t think they’re developing a game which, one, couldn’t beat Australia, and didn’t get the job done against the All Blacks. If they’re predictable, it makes it easier for us to prepare, we just didn’t quite get it right on the weekend.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Had hoped you might write an article on this game, Nick. It’s a good one. Things have not gone as smoothly for ROG since beating Leinster last year at the Aviva in the CC final. LAR had the Top 14 Final won till Raymond Rhule missed a simple tackle on the excellent Ntamack, and Toulouse reaped the rewards of just staying in the fight till the death. Then the disruption of the RWC this season. LAR have not handled that well, but they were not alone, and we saw Pau heading the Top 14 table at one stage early season. I would think one of the reasons for the poor showing would have to be that the younger players coming through, and the more mature amongst the group outside the top 25/30, are not as strong as would be hoped for. I note that Romain Sazy retired at the end of last season. He had been with LAR since 2010, and was thus one of their foundation players when they were promoted to Top 14. Records show he ended up with 336 games played with LAR. That is some experience, some rock in the team. He has been replaced for the most part by Ultan Dillane. At 30, Dillane is not young, but given the chances, he may be a fair enough replacement for Sazy. But that won’be for more than a few years. I honestly know little of the pathways into the LAR setup from within France. I did read somewhere a couple of years ago that on the way up to Top 14, the club very successfully picked up players from the academies of other French teams who were not offered places by those teams. These guys were often great signings…can’t find the article right now, so can’t name any….but the Tadgh Beirne type players. So all in all, it will be interesting to see where the replacements for all the older players come from. Only Lleyd’s and Rhule from SA currently, both backs. So maybe a few SA forwards ?? By contrast, Leinster have a pretty clear line of good players coming through in the majority of positions. Props maybe a weak spot ? And they are very fleet footed and shrewd in appointing very good coaches. Or maybe it is also true that very good coaches do very well in the Leinster setup. So, Nick, I would fully concurr that “On the evidence of Saturday’s semi-final between the two clubs, the rebuild in the Bay of Biscay is going to take longer than it is on the east coast of Ireland”
6 Go to commentsWhat was the excuse for the other knockout blowouts then? Does the result not prove the Saints were just so much better? Wise call to put your eggs in one basket when you’ve got 2 comps simultaneously finishing.
28 Go to commentsReally hope Kuruvoli and his partner rock the Canes.
1 Go to commentsI wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
28 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
6 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
6 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
6 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
28 Go to comments