OPINION: Boks’ Escape Artistry Bodes Well for All Blacks Battle

Somehow, someway, the Springboks managed to slip through another tight encounter on the right side of the scoreline, despite being at the mercy of a tactful and solid England gameplan for a majority of the Rugby World Cup semi-final.

For 70-odd minutes of the playoff encounter, England instituted a sublime tactical kicking masterclass orchestrated by Owen Farrell and Alex Mitchell (who, arguably, could’ve been awarded Man of the Match) that nullified the Springboks’ physicality and speed. Throw in a phenomenal performance by English fullback Freddie Steward, who defused every Springbok bomb that they sent back for the entirety of the match, and you have a recipe to suffocate even the most ardent Bok attack.

However, South Africa still managed to find a way to win by using a late-game set-piece dominance to swing the game in their favour, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat even when the preceding portion of the show was an awful, card-fumbling fiasco.

Just like the game against France in the quarter-final, the Springboks only needed two or three opportunities that they had to score from, which they did, scoring three tries from three entries into the French 22-metre zone. This is the real rectification of an area where the Boks have struggled in years gone by: the conversion rate — essentially ensuring that they score when they get the chance, and not bottling it and waiting for the next gap.

It further highlights that even if you’re in control of the majority of the game, you have to make the scoreboard reflect that, or it’s in vain. England admittedly dominated every aspect of that match, and fair-play to the boys in white, but (and it’s a big ‘but’) they weren’t able to score what would’ve been a hammer-blow try or just a few more kicks at goal to stretch that lead a little more.

It left the door open for what was to come, which was a big moment for the Boks who had one chance to score a try and one clean shot at goal. Both were executed to perfection.

Critics will say the Springboks were lucky, but the ole cliché of playing the full 80 minutes can confidently be thrown in as a retort. The Boks pulled off a massive comeback that also required some outrageously ambitious calls: calling for a mark to scrum set off that chain of events that led to Handrè Pollard’s shot at goal; but the whole thing could go horribly wrong if they got it wrong. Pundits who say that the Boks got lucky seem to forget that.

Being dominant throughout a game is one thing, but being put against the wall with little to no hope, yet still managing to pull off a victory is an admirable feat, no matter which team does it; and this will be in the favour when the Boks take on the All Blacks in the Rugby World Cup final.

England cleverly forced the Boks to play really ugly rugby. Being pinned with well-placed kicks, wingers having to turn around and be challenged with every leap in the air, and England’s niggly nature in the mauls and breakdowns, made it a tough night on the job for South Africa. While the Boks barely got to ‘play’ some running rugby, it did expose the Springboks’ deficiencies, which is an extremely valuable lesson for a team on the cusp of a bigger occasion and challenge with the All Blacks.

Efficient backfield placement of the Boks’ wingers and support runners was lacking, as well as the kick-chase being underwhelming, with Freedie Steward (already great in the air) having little to no pressure on him throughout the game. There’s no doubt that Jacques Nienaber and the coaching staff will address this.

The All Blacks will pose a far different threat, though, as unlike England, who try to disrupt their opposition, New Zealand tends to focus on their game, which is why most All Black and Springbok encounters tend to be so entertaining as either side can flex their respective game plans and showcase their finesse.

The Boks should be a lot more comfortable in that environment, being pushed to the limit but having the freedom to play their own game. But, the Springboks should be grateful to England for helping them bring out the innovation and spirit needed to win such an ugly, frustrating match, helping them find ways to win even when it seems like all is lost.

Photo cred: Springboks / Facebook