Rugby writer Vata Ngobeni looks at the five things the Springboks must focus on in the second Test against Ireland
Physicality
If there is anything that the Springboks have always enjoyed superiority over other teams in the world, it has been their ability to use their brute strength and physicality to overpower the opposition.
But in recent times it has been the opposition that have used the collision to their advantage, not only matching the Boks but beating them at times.
Last week the Springboks failed to be brutal with the Irish and, when they tried, they were met with plenty of mongrel from the Irish pack.
At Ellis Park, South Africa will need to be uncompromising with ball in hand, dominate the collisions and get over the advantage line. It is through brute force that they can batter the Irish into submission and take control of the game.
Set piece
To win a game of rugby a team needs to have full control of the fundamentals and that means set-piece dominance will again be vital.
The Springboks will have to get their act together in the scrums and line-outs, not only to secure and steal possession but also to give their backs a good attacking platform.
The Boks failed to out-muscle a seven-man Irish scrum last week and that will need to be rectified, plus they will need to establish themselves well in the line-out in order to get that rolling maul going.
This has always been a useful ally for the Springboks and the time has come for them to use it again.
The breakdown
For an area of the game that occurs more than any other facet of play, it will be critical for the Springboks to make sure that they get the upper hand at the breakdowns as early as possible.
So crucial is dominance in the breakdown that it was one of the areas where the Boks admitted to have cost them last week’s Test at Newlands.
It won’t just be up to Francois Louw and Duane Vermeulen to take charge at the rucks but it should be the responsibility of all the players on the field.
Boss the breakdown and you can generate quick ball to the backs and it is the easiest way to starve the Irish of possession.
Faf and Elton
Ellis Park is the place where scrumhalf Faf de Klerk and Elton Jantjies have revelled in the spotlight of Super Rugby and it will again be the theatre where the two maestros need to act out their best performance.
All the hard work that the forwards do will come to naught if De Klerk and Jantjies make the wrong decisions and we will see no champagne rugby if the duo fail to read the situation on the field correctly.
De Klerk will have to vary his play in order to get the Springboks into the right areas of the field while mixing play between the forwards and backs.
Jantjies, on the other hand, will have to be the conductor of the orchestra giving direction when to kick, pass or run.
The result on the scoreboard will rest squarely on the shoulders of this half-back combination, and pressure is something the pair thrive on at Ellis Park.
Expansive game
Champagne rugby stops becoming pleasing to the eye and palate when it is forced and that is when mistakes are made.
It was evident for all to see at Newlands as the Springboks tried too hard to force the running game and to run into space instead of putting away a player in a better position.
The gaps were there for the South Africans to exploit but over-eagerness and some selfish play meant that most of the home side’s spark was extinguished even before it became a threatening flame.
Patience will be key to opening up those holes and when they do come the likes of Lionel Mapoe and Lwazi Mvovo must be given the time and space to do their thing. - Saturday Star