5 Lessons Learnt from the Bok Bounceback Against the Wallabies

Like a werewolf returning to its human form at dawn, we saw a complete turnaround from the monster-show that took place last weekend when the Springboks lost to the Wallabies in Johannesburg despite a 22-point lead in the first half. Cape Town saw a much more ‘traditional’ Bok performance that, while still a grind against a feisty Wallabies side, was a substantial improvement. Here are some of the things learnt from the 30-22 encounter:

Pollard is the supreme game manager

While Johannesburg’s Test against the Springboks didn’t lack flair and tries (despite the loss), there was a clear lack of tactical smarts when things weren’t going too well for South Africa. Handre Pollard’s presence in Cape Town was notable, helping slow the game down where needed, using his kicking skills to buy the Boks time and territory, and directing the forwards to set-pieces – an area the Boks were far better at this past weekend. On top of that, he pulled up a 100% kicking rate for conversions and penalties, set up a cross-kick for Canan Moodie’s try, dodged some dangerous situations with his footwork, and put in some great defensive hits. If you want someone to unlock the Boks’ best traits, he’s your man.

Breakdown is where the Boks shine

Whereas the week before in Joahnnesburg, where the Boks avoided the breakdown by trying to offload every chance they got, the Cape Town test saw the Springboks going back to dominating the breakdown. Of course, if one can get a quick offload and keep the momentum going, that’s great, but using the ruck area to pull in defenders and tire them out is a strength of Rassie Erasmus’ gameplan. The reason for the opposition’s fatigue is often due to the exhausting competition that takes place at the breakdown, and the Boks returned that challenge in spades.

Kick-chase is one of the Boks’ best weapons

With Cheslin Kolbe, Canan Moodie, and Aphelele Fassi, the Springboks have some of the best kick-chasers around. Whether they’re regathering their own kicks, slapping the ball backwards, or simply applying pressure on the receiver, the Boks utilised their kicking game a lot better thanks to the effective and relentless attitude to turn an up-and-under into something more.

Kwagga is worth his weight in gold

Kwagga Smith was fasttracked into the starting team on Saturday morning following initial starter Jean-Luc du Preez’s illness, with Smith even having to wear Du Preez’s jersey due to the short notice. Smith, despite expecting and prepping to come off the bench, was fantastic at eighth-man, using his explosive power and ferocious attitude to deliver a standout performance. He was ruthless on defence, effective at the breakdown, and even scored a momentum-swinging try under the posts. While he is one of the best impact players on the planet, he’s also a more than capable starter for the Boks at 8.

Bomb squad can change

While the team sheet was packed with familiar faces, the orientation that the Boks lined up in the starting 15 and on the bench was a little different to what we were used to. Kwagga Smith’s last-minute inclusion at 8 was a success (see point above), and RG Snyman and Ruan Nortjie proved to be a great starting combo in the lock positions. This gave Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager the ability to come off the bench and make an immediate impact, with Etzebeth’s physicality putting the Wallabies on the backfoot and rewarding him a try. It just goes to show that the ‘Bomb Squad’ doesn’t need to be a predetermined set of players.