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'It looks weird, but...': Springboks explain odd bomb squad rejig
Jacques Nienaber has explained the logic behind the weird-looking Springboks bomb squad bench for Sunday’s Rugby Championship match versus the Wallabies. Going with a bench split of six forwards and two backs is nothing unusual for the South Africans as it was a successful tactic that started getting regularly used at the 2019 World Cup and was used again recently to great effect.
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However, what is strikingly unusual about their bomb squad selection heading into the game next weekend against Australia on the Gold Coast is the decision by Nienaber to pick three loose forwards on the Springboks bench and have no reserve second row.
Marco van Staden, Kwagga Smith and Jasper Wiese will respectively wear the No19, 20 and 21 Springboks shirts at the weekend, with the three other jerseys allocated to reserve forwards taken up by props Ox Nche and Vincent Koch and hooker Malcolm Marx.
That leaves them with no specialist second row to call on but Nienaber insisted this bomb squad selection isn’t a gamble as the Springboks have Franco Mostert, a third second row, starting at No7 in an XV back row alongside skipper Siya Kolisi and the fit-again Duane Vermeulen.
“I know it looks weird having three loose forwards on the bench but you must remember that one of our locks is playing loose forward for us in the starting line-up in terms of Franco. It looks weird. Why would you have three loose forwards on the bench? But we are starting three locks if you put it like that,” explained Nienaber.
TEAM NEWS:
Duane Vermeulen is among the changes to the starting team to face the Wallabies, but check out the Springboks' latest bomb squad variation… https://t.co/Mll9ctu5WN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 8, 2021
Physicality has become a trademark in the Springboks’ preference to have six forwards on their bench when most opposition elect to go with just five back-up forwards. However, unlike the bruising nature of their recent clashes versus the Lions and Argentina, the South Africans accept their so-called bomb squad is facing a different type of task versus the Wallabies.
“If you look at how Australia play all the Test matches, they play with pace and tempo and massive continuity and stuff like that and an awesome skill set in terms of having the capability to stretch you from touchline to touchline. That was the reason,” Nienaber added about the thinking behind his bench make-up.
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Switching to the inclusion in the starting line-up of Vermeulen for his first Test appearance since the November 2019 World Cup final, Nienaber is optimistic about how the veteran No8 will fare on his comeback from the ankle operation that denied him the chance of playing in recent months. “He is on track in terms of where we thought he would be in his return to rugby. Like anybody, it will take some time to get used to the pace.
“It takes a couple of matches to get used to the pace of international rugby again but in saying that Duane has been part of the Springboks for over 50 Tests. He is an experienced player, he has been there before, he almost knows the shortcuts to things on the field so happy, we are exactly where we thought he would be now and I can’t wait for him to get back on the field now. How many minutes? It will depend on how the game unfolds on the day.”
The Springboks love a proverb. If it isn't argumentative donkeys, then it's urinating canines…#RugbyChampionship #springbokshttps://t.co/tFetw4LfsV
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) September 5, 2021
Comments on RugbyPass
Je suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusades , you can keep going.
1 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments