De Jager turned game back South Africa’s way
There is a scene in the movie Braveheart where King Edward ‘Longshanks’ orders English archers to rain down arrows on the fighting men at the Battle of Falkirk. “I beg pardon Sire, won’t we hit our own troops,” his deputy asks. “Yes, but we’ll hit theirs as well,” came the tyrant’s response.
There were multiple periods during the second Test between South Africa and the British & Irish Lions where I was reminded of this bloody scene. During the first half there were casualties on both sides. Pieter-Steph du Toit was upended by Duhan van der Merwe. Cheslin Kolbe suffered what looked like a concussion. Connor Murray was fortunate to keep in place all the vertebrae in his neck after a worrying fall.
Both sides looked hell bent on launching aerial assaults at one another. I apologise for over stretching the combat analogy – unlike Orwell I do not believe that sport is war minus the shooting – but there were occasions when I had to double check that it was indeed a rugby match that was playing out before me and not some bastardised re-enactment of pre-gunpowder conflict.
But like the English at Falkirk, the Springbok’s superior firepower told in the end. It wasn’t pretty, far from it, but then very rarely are South African victories over northern hemisphere teams.
The comeback began with a heroic tackle by Siya Kolisi on Robbie Henshaw in the first half. The burly inside centre had crossed the Springbok try line but the talismanic home captain managed to get his arm under the ball and force a knock on.
It was a statement play. An impenetrable barrier had replaced a previously porous fence.
Of course South Africa’s opening try early in the second was crucial. A scrum penalty was followed by a lineout, which was followed by a maul, which was followed by a dinked kick for Makazole Mapimpi to score. But the real turning point came with the introduction of Lood de Jager for Leicester Tigers No.8 Jasper Wiese.
Wiese’s physicality was an upgrade at the base of the scrum, and he gave Jack Conan a headache throughout. However, when Du Toit’s shoulder meant he was replaced by Kwagga Smith, South Africa lost a lineout jumper from their back row.
This allowed Maro Itoje, Courtney Lawes and Alun Wyn Jones to run roughshod over Eben Etzebeth and Franco Mostert who were hopelessly outnumbered. Every South African lineout was contested. Few, if any, Lions throws were put under pressure.
Then De Jager entered the scene. The Sale Sharks lock has required three surgeries on his shoulder just to keep it intact. He was a doubt for this series until a week before the First Test. He brought calm and
“An impenetrable barrier had replaced a previously porous fence”
heft. Brains and brawn. Emboldened by his presence, this trademark Springbok weapon turned the contest.
It also meant that Handre Pollard could seek out touch more regularly. It meant that he could aim his high lofted kicks closer to the whitewash. It meant that Willie le Roux did not have to gamble on defence and could allow the ball to bounce out of play, confident in the knowledge that the subsequent throw could be won.
Rugby is a strange sport that places too much emphasis on the intangible. Words like ‘energy’ and ‘momentum’ are overused. The undulating force of the invisible pendulum is so revered that casual observers may believe it has more of a say than penalty counts or turnovers.
Despite my blatant sarcasm there is something to be said about those variables we can’t measure. Because something clearly shifted.
Now Bok head coach Jacques Nienaber deserves praise for how he used his substitutes, finding the Goldilocks moment to unleash his six forwards.
Hooker Malcolm Marx is a game changer on his own and prop Trevor Nyakane silenced a lot of doubters with his cameo.
But before you wholly dismiss the notion that games, series even, are won and lost by mysterious powers then you haven’t been paying attention to this Sprigbok project over the last three years.
When Rassie Erasmus and Siya Kolisi first combined, they found themselves 24-3 down to England at Ellis Park in 2018. They rallied back to win that match 42-39 and also the series.
They have lifted the Webb Ellis Cup because they are the best team in the world but also because they believe – truly believe – that they are playing for a higher purpose. They play with the belief that their actions have consequences beyond the four lines of the field.
Now they play for a chance to secure their names in history.
Very few teams can claim to have won both a World Cup and a Lions series together. Because of a perfect blend of tactical kicking, powerful scrummaging, dominance at the lineout and just enough magic, Kolisi and his men are one win away from achieving this historic double.
“They believe - truly believe - that they are playing for a higher purpose”