Boks prepared for ‘improved’ PUMASSOUTH
It has become a Springbok cliché that they perform best when they have been backed into a corner by poor results and that when they are expected to win, they almost always underperform.
It drives their supporters mad and a scan of the Springbok results over the decades indicates that the “favourites” tag sits uncomfortably on South African shoulders.
But Bok prop Ox Nche says from Buenos Aires that there is more to it than the Boks simply retaliating after criticism and producing an emphatic performance, as was the case in Sydney when they overturned a despairing result in Adelaide with a famous win.
On the same day that the Boks beat the Wallabies 24-8, the Pumas sunk without trace in Hamilton, so that probably means the Boks are favoured to win this week, but then nothing in this year’s Rugby Championship makes sense and the only pattern has been “win-lose-winlose” for all four teams.
“I don’t think our performances this year are about whether or not we are expected to win and how we handle that,” Nche said. “I think what happened in Sydney is that we decided to have a full go and we were all properly aligned.
“It wasn’t about any kind of pre-match tag … it was about what we want to achieve as a team and how we were going to do it. That was the major difference from Adelaide to Sydney.”
Bok supporters will be hoping that alignment continues this week because if their team is facing the Pumas side that put 48 past Australia a month ago and not the team that took 50 from the All Blacks, the Boks will need their wits about them.
The Pumas have blown hot and cold under new coach Michael Cheika, and given the Australian’s fiery temperament, the Argies will have had a roasting and will come out pumping in front of their home crowd.
But Nche says that there is more to the Pumas under Cheika than passion.
“They are a very well-balanced team,” Nche said.
“Their set piece is much improved under Cheika but he has also encouraged them to have a go with ball in hand if they see an opportunity. They have scored some great tries since he took over.
“I would say it really is 50-50 with the Pumas in terms of a strong set piece game in which they try their best to disrupt you and a willingness to run the ball.”
Saturday’s match in Buenos Aires kicks off at 9.10pm.