Springboks bomb squad fizzle out in second-half misfire

The much-hyped Springboks front row came into the first test against the British & Irish Lions with a mythic reputation built off the performance in the World Cup final against England, after they had lost their tight head prop in just the third minute.

With a second front row sitting on the bench, the power of the Boks big men up front was supposed to be a weapon to destruct the Lions set-piece in Cape Town.

A key decision by Springboks management was to substitute the entire front row at halftime, putting hooker Malcolm Marx and props Steven Kitshoff and Frans Malherbe into the game fresh for 40-minutes.

Nienaber talks about Springboks discipline

Nienaber talks about Springboks discipline

The new arrivals failed to make any impact, as the Lions were able to stabilise the set-piece and force the Springboks to use the ball instead of playing for penalties. The tourists themselves had serious firepower on the reserves, with Ken Owen, Kyle Sinckler and Mako Vunipola all test starters with their nations.

Springboks fans labelled the decision as a ‘bad call’ that ‘disrupted the ascendency’. Another wrote they lost the game ‘as soon as we changed the front row’.

The much talked about impact front row for the boks was poor! In fact the first front row was proper. Malherbe is average. Ox subbed too early. Boks need to be a bit more brave on attack & need more steals on good tackles. Lions weren’t that great but well done to them. #RSAvBIL

— BPZ (@Bandi_777) July 24, 2021

Substituting the whole front row at the start of the second half was a bad call by Jacque and his coaching staff. It disrupted the ascendency we had going into half time. Hard luck Boks #SSRugby #RSAvBIL pic.twitter.com/RYQHDAw5s2

— Floetic_Essentials ? (@RealFloetic_E) July 24, 2021

Boks "stronger front row" not living up to the hype

— Brenden Nel (@Brendennel) July 24, 2021

Some really questionable calls. But not the reason the Boks lost. Lions were exceptional in second half. Boks bottled it. Lost the aerial battle badly and bench had zero impact. Well done Lions.

— Brenden Nel (@Brendennel) July 24, 2021

Forwards can't push a maul! Forwards can't defend a maul! Forwards can't push a scrum! The new Springboks forwards' coach, Daan Human is a fraud!#RSAvBIL

— Sama & TheLights? (@SamaEmme) July 24, 2021

https://twitter.com/Chad_Joker_1Apr/status/1418999719888572426

So why did SA sub off all of their front row at half time? They looked to have the upper hand in the tight before that #RSAvBIL

— Stuart Drysdale Official (@DarloBun) July 24, 2021

Should not have changed that front row. #RSAvBIL

— Luvuko Nombembe (@luvukonombembe) July 24, 2021

We lost this match at the start of the second half. As soon as we changed our front row, we stopped plying. #RSAvBIL

— Mr. K4U (@nthato12) July 24, 2021

For all the pre-match talk of a stronger Bok front-row on the bench, the 1H front-row did better at scrum time #RSAvBIL

— Paul from New Zealand Sport Radio (@DrivingMaul) July 24, 2021

Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber pinpointed the kicking game as the weak area in the second half which lead to the Lions roaring back to 19-5 advantage over the second half.

“The kicking game was won by us in the first half and we got the rewards,” the coach said, adding: “In the second half it was a different story.

“They won that battle and it gave them territory, an advantage in broken field play and we had to scramble, and could not cope.”

Despite not getting any reward at the scrum, Nienaber said his side made mistakes at the maul which let the Lions pack get on top, but he thought his side could salvage the series in the second test next week.

“Our discipline fell away,” the coach said.

“We started to make mistakes, especially at maul time.

“We did not make the step-up needed when required.

“We can certainly salvage this.”