Neil de Kock: Wallabies struck better balance than Springboks
After the Springboks’ first defeat in this year’s Rugby Championship, the critics will be out in force to lambast the Boks for their style of play.
The coaches and players have already copped plenty of criticism for being conservative and one-dimensional but the question is: Do you adopt a pragmatic style and win or do you play entertaining rugby and run the risk of losing?
Test match rugby is about winning and you need to do what you believe is going to give you the best chance of achieving that.
A New Zealand scribe wrote that “the Springboks were one-dimensional and far too reliant on opposition mistakes to get them into the game.” The All Blacks have always employed a different style but I think it’s a misconception that they don’t play conservatively at times.
The perception that they are the attacking saviours of world rugby is because they are deadly from turnovers and score plenty of tries. In contrast, the South Africans are lethal on defence and at set-piece, so why not play to those strengths? People can write and say what they want – until teams totally unpick the Springboks and make it very difficult for them to win games, why should they alter their game style?
Some will be critical of the fact that all three of the Springboks’ tries against the Wallabies were scored from rolling mauls but again you play to your strengths and what you deem is going to be effective on the day. The tactic of kicking the ball into the corner and having Bongi Mbonambi and Malcolm Marx score three tries between them from the lineout drive was pleasing. For South Africa, it’s about building confidence over time and layering their game by attacking more with ball in hand.
Having employed a run-from-everywhere approach against the All Blacks, the Wallabies put a more measured game plan into practice against the Springboks. The Wallabies are a young team who need some guidance and to be led. For all intents and purposes, Test veteran Quade Cooper did that. Traditionally, Cooper was always the man who was trying to pull off miracle passes and run from his own goal-line and yet this past weekend was probably the most measured I have ever seen him play.
Cooper was outstanding on the day and it was a triumphant return against the world champions no less. From being in the Test wilderness – playing club rugby in Australia – to getting pulled back into the national set-up after four years is an unbelievable story for someone who has stuck at it. By all accounts, he was down and out of the international game.
The 33-year-old has gone on to speak about how he spent time with Sonny Bill Williams, who has been like an older brother to him, and how he cleared his mind and found a new approach. On-field, the 9-10 axis for Australia worked well. Cooper’s starting halfback partner, Tate McDermott, is an absolute livewire who can rip open a game.
However, Nic White is an astute player and made a difference when he came on. White is probably very annoying to most South African supporters but he is effective. He made good decisions in the second half and is adding to the more measured approach the Wallabies are chasing.
The Wallabies made more passes (129-54) runs (98-60) and running metres (280-183) than the Springboks but that was always going to be the case because it’s part of their DNA.
However, against the Springboks, the Wallabies were far more patient in terms of their tactical approach and found a better blend by putting the boot to ball more often and gaining the aerial and territorial ascendancy.
On a technical front, something which has been largely overlooked is how the Wallabies escorted the Springbok kick-chasers back incredibly well. They marked the Boks, prevented them from getting up in the air and ultimately proving effective aerially. After the Tests against the All Blacks, the Wallabies clearly went away and worked on how to shepherd the Springbok chasers.
At one point, Makazole Mapimpi complained to the assistant referee that he was being blocked but I felt the aerial contest was pretty fair. As a player, you have got to find ways and means to pick your line and get up in the air. There might have been one or two instances where there was some potential changing of lanes but if you were to unpick the game you could finger both teams for said tactics.
The bottom line is that the Springboks were frustrated on the day as the aerial battle, a space in which they are usually quite dominant, became a 50/50 contest and neutralised a primary weapon.
Handre Pollard, who had a below par kicking display, has been backed again this weekend for the second Test against Australia. It makes sense for me because he is one of the critical components to the Springbok success. I have no doubt that Pollard has both the ability and mindset to bounce back.
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
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe 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
3 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 Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 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!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 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.
30 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.
30 Go to comments