Springboks assembling a ferocious squad
It’s been a significantly improved year for South Africa’s four Super Rugby franchises.
The Bulls, Lions, Sharks and Stormers are all in the hunt for a playoffs spot and it’s expected that three of the teams will probably make the cut.
The Lions have not performed to the same standards as the last few years but the Stormers and the Bulls have already earned more points in 2019 than they managed last year. The Sharks are nearing that point too.
Whilst relative performance may have improved, however, there’s still restlessness out of the former republic the Super Rugby franchises are playing a brand a rugby that won’t yield great results at the next level up.
2018 brought mixed results for the Springboks. A 50% win-record does not make for pretty reading for one of world rugby’s most historically successful teams.
The highlight of the year was the team’s successful venture to New Zealand – besting the All Blacks at home, 36-34.
That win marked the first time that the Springboks had successfully knocked over the All Blacks in New Zealand in nine years. The British & Irish Lions had managed a win the year prior but other than that result, travelling teams have had very little luck in New Zealand over the last decade.
Outside of that victory, however, results didn’t give Springboks fans a whole lot to smile about.
The end of year tour was particularly disheartening, with the Boks falling to both England and Wales whilst securing wins against France and Scotland.
Still, while there are concerns about the Super Rugby sides’ style of play and last year didn’t exactly go to plan, South African rugby supporters should be feeling optimistic about their team’s chances in 2019.
The constant stream of top-level players leaving the Rainbow Nation has made it difficult for them to maintain high standards in their Super Rugby sides, but South Africa doesn’t need 140 high-calibre players to put together an impressive test team.
The Sharks, Lions, Bulls and Stormers all have their weaknesses in key positions, but together they can amass a formidable side.
Power and athleticism in the forwards
Scrummaging has always been of South Africa’s strengths but their front rows have sometimes lacked the ball skills to compete with the best in the world. Whilst subtle touches may still not be Spingboks tight five players’ fortes, they’re also no slouches.
Malcolm Marx is arguably the best hooker in world rugby right now and the Lions have performed noticeably worse without his experienced frame on the field. He has the athleticism of the likes of Dane Coles and Codie Taylor in New Zealand and the power of Ireland’s Rory Best.
The locking pair of Eben Etzebeth and either Lood de Jager (should he have sufficiently recovered from his shoulder surgery) or RG Snyman is as confrontational and aggressive as they come. Etzebeth, in particular, is the abrasive kind of player that every team needs at least a few of.
In the loose forwards, the Springboks are as well stocked as any other nation. In captain Siya Kolisi they have one of the most athletic flankers in the world and a man who leads by example. Kolisi has been one of the Stormers’ form players this season. He will be well supported by the likes of South African based loosies Pieter-Steph du Toit, Duane Vermeulen and Warren Whiteley. There are other prodigious talents like Kwagga Smith also doing the rounds in Super Rugby.
Meanwhile, overseas, former Springbok Marcell Coetzee is putting in some monster performances for Ulster and there have been suggestions that he could be in the mix too. Francois Louw has been his typical self for Bath and may have one more international season in him.
Fully fit players will strengthen the backs
The halfbacks are an area of particular strength, especially after factoring in foreign based Faf de Klerk and Cobus Reinach. Sale’s de Klerk was considered by most to be the league’s best halfback of the season. Reinach has been on-form too and was officially named the Premiership scrumhalf of the season.
Handre Pollard and Elton Jantjies will steer the team from the 10 jersey. Both players have high ceilings but they’ve struggled to live up to their early promise. Jantjies has never quite looked at home in test rugby, even though he’s guided the Lions to three straight Super Rugby finals. Pollard will likely get the playmaker role from day 1, but injuries have inhibited his development.
Rassie Erasmus favoured a midfield combination of Damian de Allende and Jesse Kriel at the end of 2018, but Lukhanyo Am has been performing so well for the Sharks that there may be a changing of the guard. Am was used in last year’s Rugby Championship and started in the victory over the All Blacks but missed the Springbok’s end of year tour due to a fractured arm sustained in that very match. His Sharks midfield partner, André Esterhuizen, will likely be the fourth centre selected.
The Springboks have countless options in the outside backs. Willie le Roux will continue to offer the Boks a second playmaker from the back field – but local talents such as Curwin Bosch have also done enough to suggest they shouldn’t be too far off a test call-up.
Per usual, wing is an area of strength of South Africa – although also one of relative inexperience. Kriel was sometimes used on the wing last year but when Erasmu has access to the likes of Aphiwe Dyanti, S’busiso Nkosi and recent Sevens convert Rosko Specman, you have to imagine that outright speed will be the flavour in the wider channels.
Further afield, Cheslin Kolbe has been one of the form wings in European rugby – though questions will inevitably be asked about his size.
All in all, there’s enough depth in the Springboks squad to seriously challenge for the World Cup. Their key players have been on-form in Super Rugby and it would be a huge mistake to write off the South African team’s title credentials.
Comments on RugbyPass
Are we still talking about the World Cup final in May? The final took place more than 6 months ago. Isn’t it time to move on?
4 Go to commentsIt looks like the trauma counseling is not helping the Ben Smith troll much. He is still trying to convince his little brain that his loser team won the RWC.
4 Go to commentsOh dear, Jon. Ben Smith’s Saffer clickbait was at least backed up by some rationale!
4 Go to commentsThe more direct approach to your past time this time I see Ben. Look, it doesn’t need to be said, anyone watching the match knows the ABs played better and just got robbed by the officiating, but lets face it, their dominance in the match was only because South Africa choked and forgot how to play rugby with the ball. South Africa were still the better side. Of course Ireland and France were also better sides that New Zealand. Possibly even England on WC performances.
4 Go to commentsGreat mythology - no surprises Ox didn't talk about being driven backwards by Laulala in the RWC final!
4 Go to commentsJust shows how a hand up can help as long as the invitation is accepted. Good story.
1 Go to commentsKarma is a powerful force
21 Go to commentsFrench players said the same thing to the All Blacks after their pool match in 2011. But the French can back up their s**t talk with action.
67 Go to commentsThe problem is the officiating & changing rulings,& TMOs.Last weekend I saw a 9 penalized for a crooked scrum feed! the last time I saw that rule applied was In about 1975!!!!!!!!.Late or not the incident is history & Australians alleging that Kiwi rugby supporters wear eye patches is a bit rich.Try listening to Australian Commentators.Every new player who has an above average game is suddenly the next great sensation.
21 Go to commentsEvery Irish fan in the stadium celebrated like they had won the tournament after the SA and Scotland games so yeah, the way Etzebeth tells it stacks up. It was definitely ‘In Their Heads’!
67 Go to commentsEtsebeth is right about 1 thing. Boks after winning a RWC have been crap. Only in 2009 did they reach the heights of what a RWC Champion should look like but that was only after 3rd/last in the TriN 2008. Lost a home series in 1996 (vs ABs); didnt win even 1 x Rugby Championship after 2019. ABs and Wallabies and England at least played like Champions after winning RWC.
67 Go to commentsCrusaders will knock one of the top seeds out in the first round, hope it’s not my Chiefs
28 Go to commentsEben really seems like just a deeply unpleasant man.
67 Go to commentsDMac. BB crabs too much at 10.
4 Go to commentsIt is every boys dream to be a Springbok. I managed it in a discipline other than rugby…But rugby, I have always engaged with passion. It does my old heart good to see the mix of people in the team and this displays the possibilities for this wonderful country. The logo “stronger together” says it all. This current edition of the Boks is nothing short of inspirational.
4 Go to commentsIrish people about the best damn people on the planet. OK, in the NH. Fijians are the World’s best happiest friendliest people. But as far as European cultures producing good people, Ireland stands alone. But on the rugby pitch there is a creeping arrogance that has detached from humility. eg Sexton abusing a match referee, and not for the 1st time. He was extremely lucky to make it to the RWC, strings were pulled. And O’Mahoneys sledge to Cane was lowballing, attacking an opposition Captain seems opportunistic and gutter talk. Cane is a real gentleman. Have never seen ABs unleash after the whistle like they did on O’Mahoney after QterF, it was well deserved. Unlike Bok supporters, the Bok players understand history. Massive amount of respect between Boks and ABs is evident, they get on well and have throughout history. Even Pinetree Meads best mate (except his old cobber Kel Tremain) were Springboks, friendships forged after tours. And Meads was always targetted given his star status (he even played 2 x Tests with a broken arm). On the contrary, ABs and Wallabies famously dont get on, bad blood after Aussies not taking offer of beersies postmatch.
67 Go to commentsHaha god NZ journalism is so crap listen to this guy “We’ll be proven in a few weeks if our baseless bs can stick” lol Everywhere else uses experts to write stuff but here they’re just career guys that don’t care about what they write, NOT CONCEDED A TRY IN YEARS lol > “Naturally, you’re looking for performance, sometimes that means you can’t think logically or use evidence to arrive at any sort of clarity of decision. Pretty much sums it up to a tee Paul ignores the articles in here about then runs off each team this year, that Penney is just a yearly stop gap until, who, Ellison is released by ABs, the huge imbalance of the injury front between teams at each end of the table, or who it was that _should_ have been coach. But of course if they actually do evidence and investigative work theyre shy of their article not hitting that sensationalism boundary and lose revenue. Leaving us non the wiser. They look like they would have been best with a geeup coach this year to turn around the razorless depression the clubs obviously going through. Hard to think of someone fitting the Bill to have been chosen instead, the clown Cheika? Id have been tempted to double play and entice O’Gara down. Hell maybe that is who they are waiting for, he wants a international gig and it could be after Scmidt or razor
28 Go to comments_Dan Carter weighs in on who should be Scott Robertson's All Black 10_ Dan: “It’s a toss up between Beudy and Dmac, although Mounga would be nice - but he can’t… so…” The Rugby Public: “Thanks Dan. For nuthin!”
4 Go to commentsEngland did this way back for the Croke Park match in the 2000’s. The shame actually seemed to weigh on them during the match. It will not be easy for Northhampton players to rationalize how their army went into a stadium of a major city of the then United Kingdom and opened fire indiscriminantly into terraces killed 14 and wounding scores. I am sure with a pro setup they will get this balance right. I live beside the stadium. A very old woman on the street remembers as a very young girl the crowds of people filling the street to escape the massacre. A lot of water under the bridge and the match has really little historical relevance for Irish/Leinster supporters any more. Those ghosts were freed in the trashing of England in the 2000’s match. Sure, it will motivate Leinster but Northhampton should not overly consider it or weigh on it in my opinion. Dowson is right to learn the historical importance and Northhampton are indeed giving the occasion due respect. It is important to show respect. But that’s enough for Northhampton. Fair play to them. On to the rugby now.
15 Go to commentsDouble World Cup Champions ? Wow since when did 4 become 2!
215 Go to comments