Neil de Kock: Shades of Saracens-style aggression to Springboks defence
The Springboks have only conceded 15 tries in their last 18 Tests, which equates to 0.8 tries per match. The Boks’ defensive success is a by-product of an undimmed focus from a coaching perspective on a system that is working incredibly well since Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus took the helm.
After the Springboks copped a 57-0 hiding from the All Blacks in 2017, the new coaching staff dialled it back. Nienaber and Erasmus worked on what they could control and returned to South Africa’s traditional strengths. The Springboks have always been strong in the physical part of the game and they focused on dominating the set-pieces and collisions. It became about defending well and keeping teams out.
Nienaber, who started as a physiotherapist, has morphed into a defensive mastermind. Line-speed as well as physicality at the breakdown and contact at the collisions are key ingredients in Nienbaber’s defensive recipe. By all accounts, if you are winning the collisions and stopping momentum – which the Boks have been doing – then getting off the line is so much easier.
I suppose there are similarities between Saracens and the Springboks on a defensive front but I wouldn’t say one mirrors the other.
The ‘Wolfpack’ defence started out as a throwaway catchphrase and ended up as a crucial part of our identity. At the time, we had some pretty creative coaches in Alex Sanderson and Paul Gustard who drove the process. Every time we went into a team session we would always affirm our commitment by saying, “We love defending!” It was part and parcel of what we were all about particularly in those first couple of years because, like the Springboks, we had to dial it back somewhat. Saracens went through an up-and-down period so we decided to play to our strengths. At the outset we said, “We can’t be a team who is going to pass the ball, break the line and score tonnes of tries. Instead, let’s focus on what we can control – namely our defensive system.”
Our Wolfpack defence, which earned mythical status, was underpinned by aggressive line-speed, sound decision-making and tactical adaptability. In terms of when to drift and when to blitz, it became a feel thing for us as players on the field. It was always a case of getting off the line but similarly, it came back to the way I see the Springboks dominate on defence – through the collisions.
The Boks bring a brutal physicality to the field but it’s always in a disciplined and well-organised system, which makes it so frustrating for teams to break down. However, if there is one team in world rugby who can unpick the Bok defence, it’s the Wallabies – who employ a multi-phase approach.
For Australia, it’s about the speed of their ball. They are going to look around channel one and two to unlock the Boks’ aggressive rush defence and have been pretty cute with over-throws at the back of the lineout and have introduced some really interesting first-phase plays around scrum-time. I have also been impressed with 22-year-old scrumhalf Tate McDermott, who snipes around the fringes, and I expect him to be a catalyst in terms of trying to expose South Africa closer to and around the ruck. It’s about trying to get a defender to bite and then putting someone into a half-gap.
When the Wallabies tackle the Springboks on the Gold Coast, it will be about trying to speed up the game and not getting into a position where there are too many stoppages. The Boks were criticised for slowing down play particularly in the first two tests of the British & Irish Lions series but, for me, it didn’t look like the visitors wanted to play too quickly either. Neither team seemed intent to speed up the game in a series which will be remembered for being a mighty arm-wrestle. As such, it will be pleasing to see Australia employ a fast-paced approach and put the officials under pressure to play.
The Springbok defence isn’t perfect but, by and large, they defend pretty well in all facets of play and what they do is scramble highly effectively. So even if opposition break the line, the Boks scramble well enough to live to fight another day, which is another strength of their makeup at the moment.
Lukhanyo Am, who made a miraculous try-saving steal against Argentina last Saturday, has been unbelievable for this Springbok group and I think his value is often understated from an external front. He is the type of player who slips under the radar but I would suggest that he would probably be one of the first names on most of his colleagues’ team sheets. In terms of his effect and impact, what you would find is that internally the squad would agree that he is invaluable. Am is pivotal in his role as defensive organiser in the Springbok backline and is equally effective on attack owing to his physicality. He doesn’t stand back in the No 13 jersey. You often find midfielders are only good in one of the two aspects but Am, like Jaque Fourie was, is well-balanced on both attack and defence.
Following an 11-year career with Saracens, which saw him earn 264 caps, Neil de Kock now works in the rugby division at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport in South Africa. De Kock, who featured in 10 Test matches for the Springboks, provides RugbyPass with expert opinion and insight focusing on the southern hemisphere sides.
Comments on RugbyPass
An 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 commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to comments