Springboks must bring surprise package to reclaim Rugby Championship
Don’t expect Ian Foster and the All Blacks to be lying awake at night in fear of their impending encounters against the Springboks just yet.
With all due respect to the defending world champions, little to come out of their 2-1 series victory over the British and Irish Lions has shed any light on where this side is really at apart, from what we already knew.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed in the current rugby climate. There is every chance that the Springboks don’t venture across to New Zealand or Australia due to Covid-complications, but they’ll need to make some changes should these fixtures eventuate.
Failure to do so could result in some big losses against the All Blacks and Wallabies, two sides that are well on their way to building new gameplans and styles of their own.
The Springboks weren’t altogether bad against the Lions – far from it in fact – but it was a certain style of rugby for a very particular purpose.
Be it the consistent use of box kicks, calling on their big men to win kickable penalties, or their heavy reliance on a strong defence, little about the Springboks gameplan against the Lions was new and original.
There certainly wasn’t any razzle-dazzle on show – nor any intent to pin the ears back and take on the opposing backline outside of any set move.
Compared to the typical nature of rugby presented by the All Blacks, and the Wallabies for that matter, the Springboks certainly stuck with their unique brand of rugby which served them well ultimately.
They’re the world champions after all, why shouldn’t they flex their muscles?
The problem is that they’re not really flexing anything at all.
Throughout the Six Nations it looked like international rugby might be spinning towards a brave new world where teams were once again prepared to invest more in their attack than their defence. Has the Lions series quashed that hope?
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What sits ahead of the inspirational Siya Kolisi and his gunners is a far different prospect, not an altogether stronger one but certainly one which pulls far different strings.
Come that 100th test encounter against the All Blacks on September 25th in Dunedin, the Springboks will need to come prepared to play more aggressively rather than sitting back and waiting for the mistakes to come.
They’ll have had a few matches against Argentina and Australia by then, but the All Blacks should have figured out some of their early-season intensity woes with a total of seven home fixtures under their belts come late September.
A simple eye test shows that the Springboks forward pack can more than match the All Blacks on size and versatility.
Their lineout is typically second to none, the scrum and maul not too far behind, and their work in the breakdown trenches should pose a significant uptake on the ferocity that Fiji possessed, something that clearly took the All Blacks by surprise back in July.
The Boks would do well to keep using what works well but, equally, their worst preparation for the trip down under would be to stick with the same formula in its entirety.
It’s crucial that they find a way to break open the game, especially with a good counterattack when the opportunity arises. They’ve got the abilities in the backline to do so, just give a guy like Cheslin Kolbe a chance to work his magic out wide rather than only utilising him under the high ball.
Underpinning the Springboks’ key to victory against the likes of the Wallabies, and especially the All Blacks, will be the element of surprise.
They’ve got to bring something different on top of their clear and obvious strengths because the homework is already being done by their impending opposition to nullify what was on show in Cape Town over the past few weeks.
But alas, who could blame the Springboks if they stuck with the same old thing though? It did win them the World Cup back in 2019.
One just can’t help but wonder if the winning formula for this particular Rugby Championship has moved on somewhat.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments