How Willie le Roux won the lottery
• Ball bounced kindly for fullback to snap it up and dart over for try that put Boks on course for famous victory
Fullback Willie le Roux does not score many tries and the one he got for the Springboks in the Rugby Championship victory over the All Blacks on Saturday was like winning the lottery.
Fullback Willlie le Roux does not score many tries and the one he got for the Springboks in the Rugby Championship victory over the All Blacks on Saturday was like winning the lottery.
Le Roux explained that he was preparing for a tackle when a throw from the normally reliable New Zealand Jordie Barrett fell kindly in his path, leaving him with a simple task of touching down after 25 minutes.
The converted try was significant in the bigger scheme of things because the Springboks took a two-point lead and recovered from being 12-0 down inside 17 minutes and conceding two tries.
“I was actually going for the tackle full on, but the ball came to me,” he said. “It was the luck of the bounce and I ran towards the line to score a try.
“I don’t get to score many tries but it is a nice feeling and I can say that I was lucky with the lottery there.”
Later in the game, Le Roux nearly became a villain as he was sent to the bin for a deliberate offside and left the Boks to play for 10 minutes from the 67th minute with a man down.
The visitors conceded a try from Ardie Savea in that period.
“When I walked off the field, I was thinking that I have let my team down. If they score here and we lose the game it is going to be on me because of the yellow. But, we managed to cross the line in the end and that is what is important,” he said.
Le Roux also praised his teammates for the manner in which they managed to capitalise on attacking moments in the game, especially in the second half when substitute Cheslin Kolbe scored a try immediately after the restart.
“The All Blacks are always switched on and if you lose concentration for one second, they will punish you,” he said.
“The ball is bouncing and you never know where it will land and luckily it went our way.
“There have been a few good performances before but this week we told ourselves that this is for us. Everyone who was part of the travelling team, it was about putting pride back in the jersey and making people back home proud.”
His participation for the remainder of the tournament remains in doubt as he returns to his club Bath this week.
Le Roux said he is not sure whether he will be available against Australia and New Zealand in SA. “It is difficult to say whether I will be available, but I am going back to the UK this week and I think I will be playing there next week.”
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said luck played its part in his side’s historic win over the All Blacks in Wellington on Saturday‚ but luck had very little to do with it.
If anything the Boks were unlucky on their way to a 36-34 win that shook the rugby firmament’s foundations and saved the Rugby Championship from another year of procession and coronation for the All Blacks.
“We are No 6 or 7 in the world. We still have to catch up to New Zealand‚ Australia and England‚” Erasmus said.
“There are so many teams ahead of us‚ there is no way we can get ahead of ourselves. This is one win against the world’s best team‚ with a bit of luck.”
Seldom‚ if ever‚ have the All Blacks gone into a Test against the Boks as such overwhelming favourites. Nothing pointed to a Springbok win. Yet the Boks prevailed for only the fourth time in New Zealand in the professional era at the 24th time of asking.
They scored a record 36 points, more than any side in history has managed in a single game against the All Blacks in New Zealand.
They won despite conceding six tries and 10 penalties to three as well as surviving a yellow card. There was no luck in this win. Every inch was earned and every All Black mistake was forced through relentless Bok pressure. Make no mistake‚ the Boks were the unlucky side in this match and still won.
In the build-up to Rieko Ioane’s try in the first-half two minutes before the break‚ there was a clear knock-on‚ yet the try stood.
Referee Nigel Owens missed so much‚ such as a collapsed maul midway through the second half that should have been a Bok penalty. Instead play went on‚ and several phases later New Zealand scored through Ioane again.
What about an advantage for New Zealand after a knock-on by the Boks that saw the All Blacks make 20m‚ only for Owens to say there was no advantage when the phase broke down? From the penalty and line-out the All Blacks scored again‚ with hooker Codie Taylor barging over.
No‚ this was not a lucky performance by the Springboks.
Gutsy‚ desperate‚ skilful‚ belligerent‚ coherent and courageous yes.
But lucky? No‚ despite Erasmus’s attempts at diplomacy.
It was a win earned through toil and commitment.
It sounds ridiculous that a side that leaked six tries as the Boks did could be commended for its defence‚ but that is precisely the case.
The Boks made more than 200 tackles, with indefatigable flank Pieter-Steph du Toit making a staggering 28 and lock Franco Mostert a monumental 23. No wonder Du Toit was in tears after the game.
The only inkling of luck the Boks had was that All Black flyhalf Beauden Barrett missed four of six kicks at goal.
But Barrett was under pressure from the outset and the
superb playmaker could barely draw breath before he had a Bok tackler down his throat.
Despite some deft touches‚ such as putting little brother Jordie away from an early try‚ Beauden was rattled.
The Boks won because they dominated the physical battle.
We can talk about “running rugby” and “attacking intent”‚ but the only way to beat New Zealand at home is to bully them. The British & Irish Lions understood this in 2017, and the Boks thankfully learned from their example.
The All Blacks are a great team‚ but they are human.
When confronted with a situation in which they were losing the collisions and being knocked back in contact‚ their composure strayed‚ leading to mistakes
and ultimately to Bok points. At its heart rugby is a simple game of physical intimidation. The All Blacks generally win the physical battle‚ which in turn allows them to show off their array of skills. On Saturday, though‚ the All Blacks showed their skill but lost the fight.
They were like a champion boxer facing a less skilled but brutal challenger.
New Zealand were continually punched in the face by an opponent that refused to take a backwards step even when they had to absorb some terrible punishment themselves.
The All Blacks landed blows but the Boks just kept coming back stronger.
Eventually one team wilted‚ and it was not the one wearing green and gold.