All eyes on Springbok Bomb Squad 2.0 ahead of Gqeberha decider as Rassie tinkers

The Springboks have won 24 of 28 games since the start of the 2023 Test season – an impressive record by any team’s standards.

The stats show how they’ve averaged more points and tries in the second half of those fixtures, and how crucial “the Bomb Squad” has been to the cause.

For 14 consecutive matches, the Boks outscored every opponent in the second stanza.

That incredible streak came to an end at Loftus Versfeld last Saturday, when a fiery Italy side edged the Boks 21-14 in the second half and outscored the hosts by three tries to two in that period.

Afterwards, Italy coach Gonzalo Quesada playfully suggested that there was a new super-sub outfit in town, and that his “Grenade Squad” had made a statement for the ages.

While that may be true, the Boks’ second-half performance was and is no laughing matter.

As the stats below confirm, that display will go down as one of the worst of the Rassie Erasmus era.

One extreme to another

Over the past three days, the Bok coaches and players have scrambled for answers as they prepare for the series decider in Gqeberha, and for the bigger Tests that follow in the Rugby Championship.

Wholesale changes have been made to the matchday squad, and Erasmus has opted for an entirely different bench – in terms of personnel and the split between forwards and backs.

Last week’s bench included seven double-World Cup winners, whereas this week’s Bomb Squad features three debutants and a further three youngsters with fewer than 10 caps.

Erasmus is backing younger players – and a 5-3 bench formation – to lift the tempo in the closing stages and atone for the flat showing at Loftus last week.

“We’ve gone with a 5-3 split, but with André Esterhuizen in the starting side, there is the option of the 6-2. It’s not a secret any more,” the Bok coach explained, after Daily Maverick asked for a breakdown on the latest bench dynamic.

“Cobus Wiese can cover lock and blindside flank, while Evan Roos gives us options at 6 and 8. In the backs, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu can cover 10, 12 and 15, and Ethan Hooker covers 12 and 13.”

Erasmus reiterated that the decision to rotate the squad was made before the start of the series.

In the same breath, he revealed that two or three players who were supposed to play in Gqeberha had been dropped after a disappointing display in Pretoria.

“I said at the start that we would announce the teams for the first and second Italy Tests internally.

“After watching the first Test back, I’ve decided not to make too many changes [from the original plan].

“There may be two or three guys from last week, and I won’t go into those reasons, but they may get a chance against Georgia next week.

“We’re giving this team a chance on Saturday. Sure, they’re a bit younger, but we want to see how it works out.”

Over the years, Erasmus has developed a reputation for picking veterans alongside rookies rather than favouring one group over another.

His starting XVs usually boast a healthy balance between youth and experience, as do his Bomb Squad formations.

Over the past two weeks, however, Erasmus has gone from one extreme to another.

Atoning for worst finish since 2018

What transpired at Loftus shouldn’t be forgotten in a hurry.

The numbers show why it was one of the worst second-half performances by the Boks since Erasmus took the coaching reins in 2018.

On Monday, prop Thomas du Toit spoke about the team’s high standards, and how the players failed to meet them in the first Test against Italy.

It was the first time the Boks were outscored in the second half – both in terms of points and tries – since the 2023 World Cup final.

It was the first time the Boks conceded three or more tries in the second half of a Test since facing the All Blacks in the final game of the 2018 Rugby Championship.

Until last Saturday, the Boks hadn’t conceded more than 20 points in the second half of a Test since that capitulation to the All Blacks.

It may seem harsh to harp on the point, but the Boks have given us many reasons to hold them to a higher standard.

The Bomb Squad was at its peak across the 14-game streak of second-half wins, which included every game of the 2024 Test season as well as the recent hit-out against the Barbarians.

Second-half highlights include the 27-0 hammering of Wales at Twickenham, the 35-14 rout of Portugal, the 20-15 comeback against the All Blacks in Johannesburg, and the clinical 21-0 dismantling of Argentina in Mbombela.

Some critics still believe that the Bomb Squad is overhyped – but when you dig into the numbers, you start to wonder if it isn’t hyped enough.

Ticking all the boxes

The Boks should come through this mid-year block of matches with four wins and the development box well and truly ticked.

By the end of the coming match, every member of the initial 45-man squad – bar injured captain Siya Kolisi – will have got a run.

That said, the quality of the performances and the confidence that is gained across the matches against the Barbarians, Italy and Georgia could have a bearing on how the Boks perform in the marquee Tests against New Zealand, France and Ireland later this year.

With that in mind, the second Test against Italy and the match against Georgia that follows will carry extra significance, as the Bomb Squad looks to regain its punch and swagger. DM

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux, 14 Edwill van der Merwe, 13 Canan Moodie, 12 Andre Esterhuizen, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Manie Libbok, 9 Grant Williams, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Marco van Staden, 5 Ruan Nortje, 4 Salmaan Moerat (captain), 3 Wilco Louw, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Thomas du Toit.
Reserves: 16 Jan-Hendrik Wessels, 17 Ox Nche, 18 Asenathi Ntlabakanye, 19 Cobus Wiese, 20 Evan Roos, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, 23 Ethan Hooker.