Bok back three out to beat All Blacks
● Whatever standards international teams aspire to, they will be measured against the All Blacks. While this may be unfair, the New Zealanders are the best in the world and deserve to be the gold standard against which every team and its facets are compared.
The Springbok back three, currently consisting of Aphiwe Dyantyi, Makazole Mapimpi and Willie le Roux, are relatively inexperienced compared to their All Black counterparts.
The measure of excitement and hype they have brought forward this season and last week in particular can’t be snarled at.
It’s not often that four out of five tries are not only scored but created by the back three in SA rugby.
How behind the Springboks are as compared to the All Blacks will be put to the test when the sides meet in Wellington on September 15.
The power surge generated by the back three has given former Bulls and Springbok winger Akona Ndungane a reason to be optimistic when the Boks confront the All Blacks in three weeks’ time.
“A team like the All Blacks will always try to test them and expose their weaknesses. Coming from Super Rugby, the guys in the back three don’t have many weaknesses. They’re good with the high balls, great on defence and are excellent finishers. They’ll be tested by the All Blacks but there’s not a lot that can be exposed from a weakness perspective,” Ndungane said.
“They’ve worked hard on sorting their defensive issues out wide that plagued them in the England series. They were too tight and England exploited that frailty but it was a system error. The improvement though needs to continue for the matches against Australia and New Zealand and I think the coaching staff know more improvement is needed.”
This year’s back three are far from the trio from last year that did duty under Allister Coetzee. Andries Coetzee, Raymond Rhule and Courtnall Skosan were serviceable against France, Argentina and Australia but their defensive shortcomings were exposed against the All Blacks.
Le Roux, who Ndungane identified as the key man in the back three, has found a way to get his wings to thrive.
There’s also the significant matter of S’bu Nkosi and Warrick Gelant, who are missing through injury — their absence could give Springbok coach Johan “Rassie” Erasmus a headache in the lack of depth. But Ndungane said the depth of the team has given Erasmus some breathing space, adding that they’d give the All Blacks back three a reasonable run for their money.
“To have guys like S’bu Nkosi who are injured and the exciting Warrick Gelant also being injured, it’s really good to have guys performing and it points to what Rassie is trying to achieve in terms of giving guys a chance. In New Zealand, they give guys who perform a chance and it strengthens their depths at all levels,” Ndungane said.
“I can give them an eight out of 10 when I compare them against their All Blacks counterparts because they are ticking all the boxes and with Willie at the back, he provides some serious vision and sees the space for the speedsters to capitalise. They just need to play well together more and improve their game management.”