I’m sorry, but Steyn’s boot will not help to kickstart the Springbok evolution
THE SPRINGBOKS’ victory over Australia on Saturday was one of the worst things that could have happened to Allister Coetzee’s team. Well that’s just what I think.
Of course it wasn’t bad for Coetzee’s track record. Anything but. He needed the win to get some breathing space and to ease some of the pressure that has mounted so heavily on him since the Test series against Ireland. He needed the win to build some confidence ahead of their last Rugby Championship match against the All Blacks in Durban this weekend. He needed the win to restore some pride. But for the future of the Boks, that muchneeded win at Loftus probably did more harm than good.
Yes, the Boks secured a win after three consecutive defeats. And after seven matches at Loftus, the Boks are yet to lose a Test to the Wallabies.
But one has to look at how the Boks secured that win. Skipper Adriaan Strauss was instrumental as he won turnovers, made clean breaks and carried well. Francois Louw was better than we had seen him this season with the Boks and made a massive contribution, especially at the breakdowns. And then, of course, there was Morné Steyn’s contribution with the boot.
But the rest of the Boks’ performance lacked conviction. Their tactical game was terrible. The outside backs were again left yearning for a bit of ball. Too many times the kick chase was non-existent. And there were just too many unnecessary errors.
The Boks can be thankful that the Wallabies were just as erratic. And it can’t be argued that the result could have easily gone the other way had Steyn missed more than one penalty kick. So yes, Steyn won the Springboks that game.
And that is exactly problem.
The kicking machine booted 18 points including four penalties and two drop goals. That’s all good and well, but what did that prove? It proved that Steyn is the safe choice. It proved that he can win games. It proved that he really is Mr Reliable. And that could seriously halt the the Springboks’ progression towards a “different” style of rugby.
Despite having hinted at playing a more 15-man game, Coetzee decided to back Steyn. And after seeing that Steyn, by no means an attack-minded player, got him the win that he so desperately wanted, we will have to see if an attack-orientated pivot will get the nod again anytime soon.
Elton Jantjies has failed to even remotely emulate his Super Rugby form in the Springbok jersey. He has struggled with the very same things that he so effortlessly did for the Lions. And whatever the reason for his failure to reproduce his past performances, the fact that he couldn’t do in six Tests what Steyn did in one (single-handedly steer the Boks to victory) is, in my opinion, not a good thing if the Boks really want to play more attacking rugby.
Steyn cannot play that kind of rugby. That is not even a matter for debate. He kicks his goals – that’s all he does. He was a quick fix against the Australians. And if that quick fix continues to be selected as the Springboks’ general, South African rugby can forget about evolving their style of play. That will mean just sticking to their old strengths. And as history has so cruelly showed the Springboks, that rugby might work against a poor Australian side, but it will probably work only one in 10 times against the All Blacks.
And that is the scary part. What if the win over the Wallabies convinced Coetzee that the Springboks are just fine with their traditional approach? That they don’t need to change the way they play, or that they should just stick to what they know? Remember, Coetzee is in any case by his nature a conservative coach.
And, of course, as much as Coetzee maintains that Jantjies and Faf de Klerk will remain “part of the plan”, I can’t see their chances being boosted by Steyn’s performance, even if it was typically one-dimensional. Point is, it won them the game.
Whether or not Steyn will continue to be the first-choice Springbok flyhalf this season, I do not know. But one thing I do know is that a Morné Steyn kind of player winning the Springboks their first match after three straight defeats won’t help that attacking rugby banner fly any higher.