Springbok way can be productive

It’s not cool nowadays to be a Jake White or Heyneke Meyer apologist.

In fact, it’s pretty much blasphemy.

The only popular thought in South African rugby is attacking, running rugby.

If you don’t try to play like the British and Irish Lions or New Zealand sides, you’re an unadaptable dinosaur.

Here’s the thing: the Springboks won’t get anywhere trying to play like that.

I’m pretty sure of that. To be honest, I will even bet good money on it.

A few weeks ago, Meyer was back at Loftus Versfeld to promote his Tens tournament in Mauritius.

He was asked about the state of South African rugby.

“I know my view won’t be popular but we’ve got to stop trying to copy New Zealand,” he said earnestly.

“We’re probably already 10 years behind them. If we’re going to take that amount of time to catch up, they’ll be a further 10 years ahead. South Africa needs to find a South African way of playing again.”

The Lions are actually a good example to illustrate his point.

It took Johan Ackermann and Swys de Bruin five years to get the team to where they are now. Five years!

And we’re still not actually sure if they can beat a New Zealand side in a Super Rugby final.

If it took the Lions five years to get here, it’s going to take Allister Coetzee and the Boks at least three years.

Three years is too long. Heck, our national coaches only last four years!

What the Boks need is to build on the identity created by White, Meyer and Peter de Villiers.

Springbok rugby is known for being the counter-attacking kings of world rugby, an immensely tough side in the collisions that thrive on good defence and punish opposition mistakes.

White beat the All Blacks three times (and lost twice by five or less) as well as winning the World Cup in 2007.

De Villiers has a proud record of five wins against them.

Meyer faced the most imposing generation of All Blacks in decades and only beat them once.

However, in his last three Tests against them, they never lost by more than seven.

The 2015 World Cup semifinal was by two points.

It’s a blueprint that will work with a touch more skill and conditioning.