RWC-winning Bok prop explains 'how to counter the South African scrum'

The rugby adage ‘no scrum, no win’ has never felt truer after what we have witnessed over the past month.

In fact, the adage should now be ‘no superhuman scrum, no win against the Boks,’ such is South Africa’s current domination in that department.

The Springboks’ recent Quilter Nations Series was more akin to a travelling scrum clinic across Europe, eviscerating any eight forwards that packed down opposite them.

As insuperable as the Bok scrum appears currently, regardless of who Rassie Erasmus selects, it can be beaten, and it is up to their opponents to find out how.

Former South Africa loosehead, and 2007 World Cup winner, Gurthrö Steenkamp, recently provided some tips that opposing scrums may want to pay attention to. Joining The Rugby Pod, the scrum guru, who served as the scrum coach of the all-conquering La Rochelle between 2021 and 2025, said that becoming a scrummaging force is as much about mentality as it is about strength or technique.

“I’m mentoring about 13 coaches now, helping them level up in the scrum, and I’ve actually put out the challenge: you need to figure out how to counter the South African scrum,” the 53-cap Springbok said.

“In order to coach that stuff, it’s going to take a long time. Firstly, need to get the players functionally strong. You need to get them scrum strong. That’s most important. They need to be able to generate power in a state of fatigue. They need to dig deep, they need to develop resilience, but also be technically good individually and collectively.

“The key would be, which I use a lot, to help weaker players develop that engine, develop that ability to maintain that shape under tension, maintain their posture and also generate power, is scrum overload. Scrum overload is creating scenarios where you are scrumming 8v10, 8v12, 5v8 — creating these ridiculous scenarios where you are forced to dig deep, because if you don’t, you’re just going to be eating grass, and you potentially might need to see the dentist if you’re not wearing a mouthguard.

“It’s about creating these conditions where players have to scrum under brutal conditions, not just by working on going live. It needs to be meticulous. You need to be very precise, and it’s going to take time. But if you want to match the South Africans, you need to have a strong shot, or engage, as we like to call it, you need to be able to travel with intent, but then there’s that sweet spot, which I call the pressure battle — just before the feed comes in. It’s about finding your position, it’s about hitting your scrum targets, staying locked in with your triangle.

“It’s going to take time, but I do believe you can work on a team. I always say, there’s the technical side to things, the physical, the mental, the strategical and the tactical. We all know that in rugby. But the biggest element you need is the mental. You can have all the technique in the world, but if that moment comes when you need to step up to the line and you s**t yourself and there’s no toilet paper, you’re kind of screwed.”