'Out of 80 minutes you see 25 minutes of rugby and that's a problem': Former Springbok coach blasts standard of South African domestic play
Whilst the Springboks haven’t played a game since the World Cup final, South African rugby fans have had to settle for Super Rugby unlocked and the Currie Cup as they await the return of their national side.
Although the return of domestic rugby hasn’t impressed former Springboks coach Nick Mallet, who has become concerned at the direction of the game at the domestic level following the Springboks’ World Cup win.
Speaking on SuperSport’s show Final Whistle at the conclusion of the Currie Cup round-robin, Mallett wasn’t impressed with the standard of rugby particularly after seeing the New Zealand teams play in Super Rugby Aotearoa in 2020.
“It’s difficult not to be a little bit negative on the performances of our teams quite frankly,’ Mallett said.
“If you compare it with the way New Zealand cracked in with their Aotearoa competition, with teams really embracing the quick-ruck ball and ball-in-hand style they were reasonably high-scoring games, but the defences were excellent and their attacks were great. It was rugby that was worth watching.”
Mallet derided the low-risk style of play that has crept into the South African game, explaining that rugby is in the business of entertainment and the current direction of the game is heading the wrong way.
“When we started there was obviously issues with our fitness and conditioning. There were a lot of error-ridden games early on.
“Then it appeared that every single team that got into a tight situation just resorted to World Cup-final tactics which basically means driving mauls, pushing scrums for penalties and kicking an up-and-under from No 9 or 10 the entire game.’
“Sadly it just doesn’t make for good viewing.”
He highlighted South Africa’s win over Wales in the World Cup as an example of torrid spectacle even though South Africa got the result they were after.
The match was widely criticised at the time, which was played the day after England and New Zealand’s thrilling semi-final.
“If you’re waiting for other people to make a mistake … it’s like watching us playing Wales in the semifinal of the 2019 World Cup which was not a good spectacle, it was great that South Africa won, but it wasn’t a good rugby spectacle for viewers.”
“People get entertained by watching tries being scored through good passing, good lines of running, timing and good stepping.”
The former Springbok coach highlighted the value of an exciting player like Cheslin Kolbe, who puts bums on seats but had to leave South Africa to play in France. Once at Toulouse, Kolbe’s talent was regularly on show in Europe leading to being capped by the Springboks.
“To see a Cheslin Kolbe score a try is worth sitting there for an hour and a half in an afternoon. But if I’ve got to watch up-and-unders and driving mauls all day… and collapsed scrums and penalties… I’m not excited by that product. So, I think we’ve got a few issues to talk through.”
On the same show’s panel was former Lions and Springbok assistant coach Swys de Bruin, who built an attacking powerhouse Super Rugby side at the Lions. The side made three straight finals on the back of high-scoring attacking play where the side frequently ran from anywhere.
De Bruin lamented the predictablity of the current approach at set-piece, which is to use resets to ultimately draw a penalty.
“It’s almost like a storybook now… I can see there’s a scrum that will reset and reset again, then the advantage will come, then the next chapter is the penalty,” he said.
“From there the maul starts. Before the maul there is a little meeting with forwards that eats up more time.”
The Lions coach highlighted the trend in South Africa for ball-in-play time is on the way down, with more and more set-pieces eating away at the game clock.
“In Super Rugby in 2017 and 2018 we had 35 minutes of continuing play on average. We aimed for 40, if we got 35 or 36 we were happy. I spoke to one of the analysts in the Currie Cup and there hitting 24, 25, 26… so out of 80 minutes you see 25 minutes of rugby and that’s a problem.”
Comments on RugbyPass
GOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
1 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
150 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
150 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
150 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
150 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
150 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
150 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
150 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
150 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
150 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
150 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
150 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
150 Go to commentsHo hum.
150 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
150 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to comments