Beware of the wounded Springbok

It was a tough start to the tour for the Springboks, but a bloody nose can often be the catalyst for a big comeback.

I remember being in a very similar situation in 2019 with many of the teammates who are still part of this current squad. We lost 23-13 to New Zealand in our opening pool match of the Rugby World Cup, making a few defensive errors that ultimately cost us the game.

What did we do afterwards? We went back to the drawing board.

We studied the game, analysed where we went wrong and, importantly, everyone was quick to put their hand up and take ownership of their mistakes. 

It was not emotional, it was factual. We acknowledged mistakes and planned to correct them.

That ownership allowed us to move beyond the disappointment quickly. 

By the Monday following the defeat, ahead of our next game against Namibia, the loss was behind us. 

Our focus was on the next step: fixing what went wrong and trusting the process.

That is exactly what the Boks need to do now. Go back to the drawing board. Identify what was lacking. Own the mistakes. Fix them. Then move forward. As Rassie Erasmus said – they did a lot of things well and were in the game for an hour. 

I have no doubt the boys will be fired up for this contest, with the opportunity to level the series, but they must be more accurate.

Belief

On the other side, the All Blacks will be full of belief and rightly motivated to build on what they achieved in the first Test.

Dave Rennie’s measured acknowledgement of his team’s performance tells me they know the Boks will be better in the second Test, so they will have to improve, too.  

They will be looking to build on the confidence and momentum they created at Ellis Park and carry that into the DHL Stadium.

Cape Town can also feel like a home game for the All Blacks, given the incredible support they receive from the local crowd. That could certainly play in their favour.

But we all know one thing: a wounded Springbok is a dangerous animal.

The backlash could be devastating for the All Blacks.

From a set-piece perspective, things certainly evened out in the second half. This is one area where I believe the Boks could have got more reward. The introduction of George Bower in the second half made a significant difference for the All Blacks, which also coincided with changes for the Boks.

Ox Nché a key man

If I were Rassie Erasmus, I would certainly be looking at keeping Ox Nché on the field for longer. He was devastating in the first half and gave the Boks a real advantage up front. 

I know he was playing his first game in almost six weeks following a knee injury and needed to be managed, but it would be good to see Ox go on for longer this weekend.  

However, the scrum cannot win a Test match on its own.

The Boks need to tidy up their attack and, more importantly, convert the opportunities they created. 

I saw the stat that the Boks made 11 entries into the All Blacks’ 22-metre area, and came away with an average of 0.9 points per entry. Conversely, the All Blacks made nine entries and scored 3.6 points per entry. That shows how clinical New Zealand were and how wasteful the Boks were. 

You don’t get many clear-cut chances in Test rugby. When they come, you have to finish them and put points on the board.

There is a lot at stake this weekend. For the Boks, it’s about keeping the chance of winning the series alive. For the All Blacks, they have a chance to ensure that they cannot lose the series. 

The Boks have been wounded. Now let’s see how they respond. DM