There’s a spring in the Bok step
Coach Erasmus turns things around in double quick time
Best performance: Winners 1995, 2007 Coach: Rassie Erasmus Captain: Siya Kolisi
● For much of the second half of the fouryear cycle since the last Rugby World Cup (RWC), Springbok fans would have been left with the nagging feeling that the “missing years” will come back to haunt the team in Japan.
The two years lost under former coach Allister Coetzee post the last RWC was the reality SA Rugby director of rugby Rassie Erasmus had to deal with once he swapped the chinos for tracksuit pants.
He has set about his plans with coherence and clarity, while a huge degree of transparency has also helped get those who he needs to be on board.
That he has knocked the team into more than reasonable shape in less than two years is testament to his astute rugby mind and his powers of organisation.
As much as the Boks lost two years in their preparation, of late they’ve been on point. They’ve won the Rugby Championship, they have assembled what appears to be a settled squad (though the Eben Etzebeth alleged assault case remains unresolved) and their preparations on the ground in Japan have gone according to plan.
Erasmus, of course, doubles as SA Rugby’s director of rugby and it has enabled him to do meticulous planning.
On the field too they will be hard-wired. The Boks have an uncluttered game plan, tailor-made for the conditions they are likely to encounter. Some observers lamented their frequent use of the box kick in their warmup game against Japan last week but that was as good a time to test it as any.
“It is important,” reminded former Bok scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar about box kicking. “We already saw against Japan how they’ve tweaked things with more box kicks off nine. It is important in any RWC. Rassie and Co have developed their plans around how hot and humid it will be. Handling will be difficult,” Pienaar warned.
He believes the Boks have the personnel to employ an effective kicking game. “Handre Pollard has been exceptional this season for the Boks, as well as Faf (de Klerk) and Co. The players are good enough to play that kind of game if they wish to play it.
“I think a lot of teams will try to slow things down. Do box kicks and sort out your chase lines. It will probably frustrate people but it is a RWC and the pressure is high. Scoring opportunities are fewer. If that is the way the RWC is won it will be a very good weapon to have in your arsenal.
“It won’t be pleasant viewing but teams will do anything to win a World Cup. We just have to be patient,” pleaded Pienaar.
Getting to Japan as early as they did and playing a warm-up match against the hosts may yet be a masterstroke on the part of Erasmus. The Boks will be much better acclimatised than some of their major rivals by the time the tournament kicks off.
Moreover, the Bok pack possesses depth, especially among their tight forwards and it may yet be their ability to call on the cavalry that separates them in those lung-busting closing minutes.
They will hope that warm-up match will enable them to hit the deck running against the All Blacks next Saturday.
A win next week will continue their unbeaten run this year and bring with it the added benefit of momentum and confidence. Defeat in their opener next Saturday by no means represents the end of the road.
Players to watch: : Pieter-Steph du Toit, Cheslin Kolbe, Franco Mostert
It won’t be pleasant viewing but teams will do anything to win a World Cup Ruan Pienaar Former Springbok scrumhalf