Boks need an impressive performance
Brad Morgan
22 August 2008
South Africa need an impressive performance when they tackle Australia in a Tri-Nations clash in Durban on Saturday. After laying an egg against New Zealand last weekend – losing 19-0 in Cape Town – a win, and a stylish one at that, is hugely important for the Springboks.
After a promising start to the season, South Africa currently props up the Tri-Nations standings with only five points from four matches. The Aussies have nine from three games, while the All Blacks have 14 from five outings.
Two hauls of five points - wins with a bonus point for scoring four tries - from both their remaining tests against the Aussies would lift the Springboks to 15 points and give them a chance of winning the Tri-Nations. As world champions, the South African goal should be nothing less than that.
Questions and answers
There are some questions that the Boks need to answer: where have they gone wrong? What could they do differently that gives them the best chance of winning? I would suggest a return to the formula that has traditionally worked for South Africa – a controlled approach, focusing on strong set piece play and a stingy defence.
A faster-paced, free-running approach suits the All Blacks and the Wallabies more than it suits the Springboks. The wheel does not need to be reinvented. Harry Viljoen and Carel du Plessis tried to do that previously and the results were disappointing. As the saying goes, those who do not learn from history are bound to repeat it.
In 2007, Jake White selected South Africa's best combinations, kept the game plan relatively simple, and guided the Boks to the Rugby World Cup title.
'If it ain't broke, don't fix it'
Maybe the solution to any Springbok questions about the team's approach could be answered in the simple cliché, which says: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".
It could be argued that the South African team is focusing too much on its weaknesses and not enough on its strengths; the set scrums have improved markedly, with "Beast" Mtawarira impressive at loosehead prop. That is a good thing, but the lineouts have been unusually fragile at times.
Now that the scrums have been sorted out, it is time to once again make the lineout an area of Springbok dominance. That strength went a long towards securing South Africa the World Cup title.
All teams will have relative strengths and weaknesses and unless the weaknesses are extremely bad they can often be hidden behind strengths.
Missing parts
Unfortunately for the Boks, they are missing a few vital parts at present. Captain John Smit is a long-term injury victim and, while Victor Matfield has led the SA team well in his absence, one feels that Smit's influence was missed at Newlands in the loss to New Zealand.
Matfield, in turn, is without his regular partner at lock, Bakkies Botha. Botha's effectiveness at cleaning out at ruck time is well documented. He is also a dominant performer at the front of the lineouts. Like Matfield, he is a world class lock, but they offer different qualities, which work well together.
Last year's IRB Player of the Year, Bryan Habana, is also on the sidelines after suffering a grade one hamstring tear against the All Blacks. It will keep him out of action for up to 10 days.
Jongi Nokwe, who made a good debut against Argentina, gets another opportunity in Habana's place. The challenge will, no doubt, be greater than it was against the Pumas, but it is an opportunity for Nokwe to prove his ability at the highest level.
Monty benched
A week after Percy Montgomery became the first Springbok to win 100 test caps, he has been relegated to the bench. Conrad Jantjes is again preferred to the veteran, with coach Peter de Villiers saying the Stormers' number-15 offers South Africa more pace from the back.
Fourie du Preez, after his return to the Bok fold from injury last weekend, is retained as the starting scrumhalf against the Aussies. He and flyhalf Butch James appear to combine better than James and Ricky Januarie, who finds himself among the substitutes.
Flank Juan Smith will serve as cover if either of the locks – Victor Matfield and Andries Bekker – needs to leave the field, because there is no cover on the bench. The selectors have instead gone with two loose-forwards, Joe van Niekerk and Luke Watson.
The team has plenty of players with experience and they'll need to lead the way for the newer members of the line-up.
Wallabies improving
The bottom line is the Springboks need to deliver a convincing performance, as much for the confidence of the players as for the confidence of the team's supporters. It won't be easy against a Wallabies side that is showing signs of improvement under new coach Robbie Deans, the former head man of the Crusaders.
Australia's scrummaging has been vastly improved so far this season, although (probably because of their weakness in the recent past) some still reckon it is because they are getting away with illegal methods that hide a weakness.
The Wallabies' defence, which is usually very strong, suffered a bit of a blow to its ego when they conceded four tries to the All Blacks in a 39-10 loss. Then again, a 19-0 loss on home soil to the Kiwis is not exactly something the Springboks can point to as being any better.
The battle in midfield, led by the hugely influential Jean de Villiers for the Boks and his Aussie counterpart Stirling Mortlock, should be fascinating.
In fact, an interesting battle awaits all-round. The crowd as the Absa Stadium in Durban should expect a humdinger.
SPRINGBOKS
- Beast Mtawarira
- Bismarck du Plessis
- CJ van der Linde
- Andries Bekker
- Victor Matfield (c)
- Schalk Burger
- Juan Smith
- Pierre Spies
- Fourie du Preez
- Butch James
- Jongi Nokwe
- Jean de Villiers
- Adi Jacobs
- JP Pietersen
- Conrad Jantjes
Substitutes: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Brian Mujati, 18 Joe van Niekerk, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Frans Steyn, 22 Percy Montgomery
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