Springboks Strangle the Wallabies in Cape Town

The Springboks stuck to their strengths in strangling the Wallabies 31-19 in Cape Town.

The Springboks now move into pole position for the Tri-nations of 2009, and have created severe physical and psychological pressure on the All Blacks and now the Wallabies.

It was a marvelous milestone for Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield, the best lock pairing I've ever seen, as they played their 50th test match together. However, things didn't start well for them, as the Wallabies scored a good try by spreading the ball from the top of the lineout. JP Pietersen was caught out, and Adam Ashley-Cooper scored in the corner. Giteau converted from the sideline and the Boks were facing a tough contest with a 7-0 deficit.

However, the composure and spirit of this Springbok side reminds me of the tough, uncompromising attitudes the great Bok sides of the past have shown. They don't panic and just stick to their game plan. Slowly but surely they simply strangled the Wallabies into errors, penalties and brain explosions.

It has been no coincidence to me that both the All Blacks and Wallabies have been unable to impose their game plan, and have given away countless penalties at the breakdown. They simply hand the ball on a silver platter to Morne Steyn to knock over penalty after penalty.

The way the Springboks go about their business these days is just clinical. I keep repeating myself, but Bakkies Botha and Bismarck du Plessis lead this pack magnificently into the physical confrontations, and this allows Heinrich Brussow to create massive pressure, getting turnovers or milking penalties. The lineout has functioned like a well-oiled slick machine that produces ball on both Springbok and opposition ball. I was disappointed the Wallaby lineout couldn't perform better, but then again, they're up against the master in Victor Matfield.

The Springbok scrum was dominant and the Wallabies were camped in their half. That led to the inevitable lack of oxygen to the brain, which caused Matt Giteau to suffer from temporary insanity as he took out our Fourie du Preez. It concerns me how many high and dangerous tackles du Preez has to wear, but to his credit he just keeps bouncing back. I'll be disappointed if Giteau doesn't earn a suspension for at least a couple of games. If his name was Bakkies Botha he'd probably get 4 weeks!

As the pressure intensified, Richard Brown also got into a stupor and infringed at the breakdown. Immediately he knew he had earned a yellow card too. The Springboks were creating massive pressure, but infringements and Wallaby desperation kept the Boks from scoring a try. Pierre Spies came tantalisingly close, being dragged down inches from the line.

At halftime the Springboks were ahead 23-10, and the game was effectively over.

The second half was much of the same, and Robbie Deans started to bring his bench on quite early. The fresh legs, and the Springboks relaxing as they defended their lead created an even second half. The Wallabies started to create greater momentum, and eventually created a try to Matt Giteau although he was helped by Fourie du Preez slipping, and was able to slip past him.

Worryingly the Springbok scrum, started to go backwards, but I'm sure that lack of intensity and the effects of three tough weeks probably caused the Springboks to ease off.

Once again the Boks (as the Bulls did earlier in the year) showed that it doesn't matter if the opposition have time to prepare for a predictable game plan. If the execution is good, there is no defence against it. I thought it was a good team effort with each player doing his job, reflected in the ratings I gave for each Springbok player.

This Bok side is well-grounded and will look to keep improving, so the fact we only scored one try is not the greatest concern. We're creating chances and sooner or later everything is going to stick. I don't think it helps the momentum of the Springbok running game to continuously be infringed upon, and if the opposition played fair, maybe the Boks would score more tries. At the end of the day a winning and dominant Bok side is all we ask for.

Interestingly enough, I've listened to both the Kiwi and Aussies commentators recently, and it's funny how they all complain about the refs, the decisions, the rules, and the "boring" Boks. Get over it! At least bring in guys like Rod Kafer and John Drake who can give the opposition credit and not cry all game long!