The good news is that the Springboks survived a ferocious test of their reputation against Argentina on Saturday, writes CLINTON VAN DER BERG.
The bad news is that All Blacks coach Dave Rennie’s notebook is now bulging with fresh ideas and plans.
South Africa struggled to find any rhythm against a feisty and inventive Argentina, with the world champions unable to match the pace, directness and physicality the hosts brought to the contest.
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From the outset, the Pumas played with a tempo the Springboks struggled with. Fast hands, direct running lines and quick ball movement repeatedly caught South Africa on the back foot, while Argentina’s willingness to spoil at the breakdown and niggle on the fringes disrupted any semblance of control the visitors tried to build.
Crucially, South Africa lost the collision battle for long stretches, a rare occurrence for a side that has built its identity on physical dominance. Argentina’s aggressive line speed and physical defence swallowed up space and time, and nowhere was that more evident than in the pressure Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu was placed under at flyhalf. His channel was crowded relentlessly, leaving him little room to assert himself under constant heat from the Pumas.
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The hosts’ offloading game added another layer of trouble, keeping the ball alive through contact and continually forcing the Springboks to scramble in defence. It all combined to upset South Africa’s rhythm in a way few sides have managed in recent seasons.
Not every Springbok struggled to adapt. Cameron Hanekom stood out as one of the few players who embraced the physicality and intensity Argentina brought, putting in a beastly defensive and attacking shift and matching the hosts collision for collision.
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For a team unaccustomed to facing opposition this effective in this style, the result will serve as a stark warning. The All Blacks, watching on ahead of the looming Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series, will have taken careful note. If they can limit set-piece dominance, there is a template here to attack South Africa in unorthodox ways.
Adding to the Springboks’ concerns was the injury to captain Siya Kolisi. With the New Zealand series imminent, Bok management ought to order industrial supplies of cotton wool to ensure his presence for rugby’s heavyweight championship of the world.
Photo: Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images
The post Boks left rattled by feisty Pumas appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
The good news is that the Springboks survived a ferocious test of their reputation against Argentina on Saturday, writes @ClintonV
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