Whisper it, but these Boks may deserve our love
THERE are many of you out there, often to be found in the noisy corner of X, who don't think back-to-back world champions South Africa get enough love and respect from the global rugby community but I wonder if the 2024 Rugby Championship might change that.
Thus far the neutrals are rather grudging in their admiration of the Springboks. They play a massively forward orientated game, occasionally even employing a 7-1 split on the bench and more often than not bully their way to victory.
They also seem to enjoy more than their fair share of luck and rub of the green, not least in the knockout stages of RWC2023 when they won those three games by a grand collective total of three points. All the big calls seemed to go their way and that can infuriate the non-believers.
Some even question if they are actually the world's best team. They rarely go well against Ireland who have won four of their last five Tests against South Africa while the Boks have won just one Rugby Championship – the abbreviated pre World Cup tournament in 2019 – since 2009 when they were arguably at their zenith having also accounted for the Lions in a memorable series. A record of just four titles in the Rugby Championship since 1996 is frankly lamentable.
Their director of rugby/ coach Rassie Erasmus divides the room as well but possibly the biggest complaint is that a team with all their dominance up front and with all their firepower out back really should produce a better style of rugby. As the sport's pre-eminent team and brand leaders they really should raise their ambitions a little and expand their game.
Now, they are under no compunctions whatsoever to comply with our wishes. Rugby is not a beauty contest, it's about winning and lifting trophies…but nonetheless there were clear signs at the Suncorp yesterday that South Africa are taking some of the criticism to heart.
At a stadium where they have enjoyed little recent success there was an invention and experimentation to their game we have rarely seen in matches that matter and if the Boks continue this trend then we all need to be very afraid.
The awesome forward power and physicality is still there of course, that will never go away, but there was a different energy and zip about South Africa yesterday against an Australia side that although limited in attack, at least dug deep defensively and made life as difficult as possible.
On three or four occasions the Boks ran the ball out of defence rather than hoofing 70 yards downfield while they were up to all kinds of clever stuff in other areas. In the first half the irrepressible Cheslin Kolbe suddenly appeared at scrum-half at one set-piece with that dangerous runner Cobus Reinach stationing himself in midfield. Another time Kolbe took over lineout throwing duties.
Meanwhile the opening try from Siya Kolisi was the kind of score that has coaches purring. Long ball to the back, athletic leap and basketball throw down to Eben Etzebeth at the front, Kolisi rolling around to score in the corner. It's a slick move I've seen many times at schoolboy level but it's rare you see a senior side, let alone at Test level, with the confidence to attempt to execute it so flawlessly.
South Africa continued in similar vein throughout to garner five ties in what used to be Australia's fortress stadium. Pieter Steph du Toit, as usual, did the work of three players and ploughed over for the second try before Kurt Lee Arendse worked his magic with a brace either side of half-time. The first saw the diminutive but power packed wing ghost his way through a flat footed defence while for the second he dabbed the accelerator deliciously after a scything attack from Jesse Kriel. It was mesmerising stuff for which Australia had no answer and Kwagga Smith finished the job by bulldozing over for a fifth try.
So Joe Schmidt's honeymoon as Australia coach, consisting of a series win over a young and fatigued Wales team, is well and truly over and it will be interesting to see how one of the game's most astute minds approaches his work this week because they go again against the Boks in Perth on Saturday,
Deep down he will know the answer. The only way you can survive against such a team is to start winning your share of the ball and ask your own questions. Easier said than done but Schmidt must find a way.
