Springboks expected to 'revert to type' against All Blacks

A new era of Springbok rugby is upon us, one with a more ambitious style of play with the ball in hand, however, when push comes to shove, it’s expected pragmatism will still reign supreme for the world champs.

A proven world-beating recipe of set-piece dominance and aggressive line speed has seen the South Africans crowned back-to-back world champions, but with this new World Cup cycle has come new assistants under charismatic head coach Rassie Erasmus.

Notably, former All Black Tony Brown has assumed the reigns as attack coach, lending a more liberal voice to what is one of rugby’s more conservative, territory-based attacking philosophies.

That hasn’t gone unnoticed by Kiwi analysts, including former Stormers and Chiefs assistant coach Paul Feeney, who offered his thoughts on how the Springboks might look to play against the All Blacks.

“I’ve seen that South Africa’s keen to attack, I still question under the pump whether they’ll revert to type,” he told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.

“I know Rassie’s a very smart man and he’s just going to bring it in slowly, so, over the next three years. Once they hit the World Cup they’ll be up and running and good to go because he obviously realises that they’ve got to do a little bit more than they have to win the last two World Cups.

“Game one against Australia, I saw the intent to move the ball in places they wouldn’t previously; around halfway for example. At least when they see they’ve got a five-on-three just playing heads-up football and calling for the ball out the back of the pod and looking to have a bit of a crack, whereas previously they’d just look to kick for territory and play their territory/pressure game.

“So there were two or three instances I saw they are looking to use the ball where possible. They’d do it obviously after they win scrum penalties or when they dominate a set-piece.”

While the Tests in Australia offered the defending world champs one challenge, hosting the All Blacks in Johannesburg offers something very different.

“I think at Ellis Park, at altitude, with the team that Rassie can put on the park, they’ll just look to bash the All Blacks,” Feeney added.

“They’re going to first and foremost revert back to their set-piece, their pressure game with territory and their harsh line speed which the All Blacks have always struggled to play against.

“I think we’ll definitely see that and if they get one or two opportunities, if the All Blacks get a bit tight defensively defending the big boys, trying to get some doubles, I’m sure under Tony Brown the Springboks will be looking for a few opportunities to play where possible.”