Springboks Tri Nations Review

A menacing shadow has cast itself over the world of rugby, with the Springboks unchallenged as the premier test rugby nation on the planet, although the greatest test may come from within.

Surely now there will remain few if any detractors of a team that couldn’t earn any more trophies or champion designations, unless Europe admits them to the Six Nations early next year. 

Their style is a winning one, pragmatic, almost one dimensional.  As they showed in Perth, they can mix it up and run attacking lines as proficiently as any team in world rugby, but while they reverted back to type against the All Blacks in Hamilton, it showed why this is an excellent Springbok team.

They did what they needed to do to win.

And they responded to any vagary of weakness that was suggested.  Their scrum, under much pressure against the Wallabies, stepped up against a good All Black front row and eradicated any weakness that could have been capitalised on.

While they have earned their position at the top of the global rugby mountain, now comes the hard part.  The world has noted their power and precision, and they will become a marked team.

While it will be a year before either the All Blacks or Wallabies can entertain any thoughts of revenge, doubtless to say South Africa will not find the 2010 Tri Nations as amicable as it was this year.

They will not begin their title defence with a home stretch.  The Wallabies, as they showed in Brisbane, are a fast convalescing team with so many foundations being laid, with talent that Robbie Deans has painstakingly introduced over the last year.

And South Africa will not likely come up against an All Black team that is so accommodating in the future, so willing to commit what some may view as rugby suicide with their substandard execution.

In this though, when looking at the contrasting styles, New Zealand with their fast up tempo desire and the Springboks with their cold and focused approach—it is almost as if the South African game plan was tailor made to beat the All Blacks.

But what a reign it has been for Peter De Villiers and his band of now very merry men.

Granted, the first black South African coach inherited a World Cup winning team, filled with some of the best players who would stride into a global XV.

This current path began with two back to back losses, losing to the Wallabies for the first time since the turn of the century, and then being blanked by the All Blacks in Newlands—this would consign them to a third placed finish in last year’s Tri Nations.

However, they would inflict the Wallabies heaviest test defeat ever in Johannesburg, before going and winning all their autumn internationals, against Wales, Scotland and England.

They would then avenge their 1997 Lions defeat with a cracking 2-1 victory over Ian McGeechan’s excellent touring side, before wrapping up the Tri Nations with a 5-1 record.

The positives are numerous for a team that also shows scope for improvement.

Their lineout is superb, across the board, and quite possibly the greatest lineout the world has ever seen.  Clearly their jumpers, with Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha, are without peer, but are backed up by a tall back row.   Juan Smith is 1.96m, Schalk Burger 1.93m and Pierre Spies 1.94m. 

But most of all they have strong pods and a sniper accurate hooker in Bismarck Du Plessis.  South Africa finished the Tri Nations winning 62 of 68 throws, better than 90 percent.  Even more frightening were their steals, taking 28 of 75 opposition jumps for 37 percent.

In both categories, over 20 percent better than their opponents.

Equally their kicking, with Morne Steyn arguably the best kicking No. 10 in the world (one suspects Dan Carter would be his equal, but it’s not in the All Blacks game plan).

Fourie Du Preez is not only the best kicking number nine, but is also comfortably the best scrumhalf in the world.  If votes were cast tomorrow, one suspects he would scoop the IRB’s best player award.

It also helps when you have a howitzer like Frans Steyn. Sixty meters kicks at sea level—enough said.

There are also other realms where they are strong.

In the all important tackle area, they are typically powerful, and having a new genuine moulded fetcher like Heinrich Brussow adds so much to their potency.  Although in Hamilton it was probably the first time this year they and the Free State flanker looked beaten on a point’s decision at the tackle.

Equally, while not appearing to be a fundamental area of their game plan, their back division is class.  Bryan Habana, while in theory reduced to a kick chaser, looks in prime form, especially in defence.

And while their centre combination of Jean De Villiers and Jaque Fourie is blue-chip, it is here where we look at their potential weaknesses in the future.

Both De Villiers and Frans Steyn head off shore, and while fullback may not be a problem, one suspects there may be a glaring hole in the Springbok midfield in coming tests.

As both the Wallabies (sans Berrick Barnes) and the All Blacks (with their midfield tinkering) showed, the No. 12 position is a crucial one.  While Wynand Olivier could be the goods, we shall only see with his forced introduction.

Their scrum may need attention, despite the admirable way it was shored up against New Zealand, and no doubt the Italian, French and Irish packs would have noticed a potential flaw in the Panzar like armour of the South African pack.

Equally, while Steyn and Brussow add so much, showing that the South African development system is clearly working, will their superstar laden team still be intact in the coming years?

As the All Blacks have shown this year, class is not in particularly permanent, with players who were the best in the world in 2008 looking uncomfortably mortal in this Tri Nations edition.

Finally, at some point the Springboks will need to develop genuine killer instinct, seen in Johannesburg and London last year.  These South Africans have not put their foot on the throats of prone Lions, All Black or Wallaby teams, and worse still, have allowed them to get back up.

This could be South Africa’s bane against higher quality opposition.

Which brings us to the most important facet of South Africa, the coach himself, the eccentric but clearly brilliant Peter De Villiers.

Much has been revealed of the man of late, said by his employers at SARU to be the best test coach they have had to date.  While this may be debatable, there is no doubting a record that is fast becoming formidable.

It is said, skills as a coach aside, that he is an excellent people manager, encouraging senior players to engage in forums as to how the team should be run.

And clearly, the side is being well coached.

The All Blacks fumbled balls and apparent knocks in Hamilton were not merely chance.  Closer inspection reveals that the South African tacklers were focusing their hit points on the New Zealand player’s arms.

These things do not occur by chance.

As long as the political flaws in the South African rugby system do not taint what has become a truly fearsome beast.  Asad Bhorat, secretary of TARC was particularly scathing in his assessment of De Villiers of late, and one does hope for the sake of the success of the team, that quota’s do not upset what has become a beautiful winning culture.