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Cape Town’s muddy pitch set the scene for a gritty Springboks win over the Wallabies, grinding out a 30-22 result. The visitors closed the gap to a single point in the second half, but James O’Connor’s missed kicks opened the door for the Boks to stretch away and secure a crucial bonus point in the Rugby Championship.
What this game underlined more than anything is that South Africa haven’t lost their knack for suffocating opponents when the pressure rises. The Wallabies had momentum and plenty of possession but couldn’t turn it into points.
Handré Pollard was the maestro, calling on his experience to manage the game. Once it descended into a battle for territory, the Springboks reverted to their tried-and-true kicking game to force errors out of the Wallabies. He barely ran the ball, but his pinpoint kicking flipped the field and gave his forwards the platform to muscle up at the set-piece.
Cheslin Kolbe was another standout. The 31-year-old winger wasn’t unleashed in attack as much as he might have been given the conditions, but his composure under the high ball allowed the Boks to rain kicks on a Wallabies back three that struggled to cope.
The Springboks' game plan was simple: kick, kick, kick. Rather than play with the ball, they kicked it back and waited for the Wallabies to crack. It’s a formula that has delivered back-to-back World Cups and taken them to the top of the rugby mountain. But for all the talk of Rassie Erasmus’ innovation and evolution, it must feel disquieting for South African fans to see the Boks fall back on conservative tactics.
It nearly came undone, with the Wallabies within one point until the 75th minute. Yes, the conditions dictated parts of the contest, but if this Springboks team is going to evolve, they need to show more dimensions.
The Boks backline again failed to fire in Cape Town, limited to crash ball plays and scraps of possession. Their forward pack is a world-class foundation, but they will need to add variety in attack to unlock their star backs.
Next up is the All Blacks at Eden Park in what shapes as the most anticipated clash of the year. The Boks will need significant improvements if they are to unsettle New Zealand. They can’t rely solely on bullying the All Blacks up front, not with so many seasoned campaigners in black waiting for them.
There are vulnerabilities in this New Zealand side that can be exposed, as seen in their latest defeat at the hands of the Pumas, and the Boks now have a window to reassess and reset. With each team sitting on one win apiece heading into the break, this is shaping as the closest Rugby Championship in years.
