London - The Spring Boks are hurting.
There’s nothing worse than being brought right down to earth after losing to an Irish team who were missing two-thirds of their first-choice front row, their openside flank, both centres and a wing.
Yes, the Boks are also missing a number of players due to injury, but still – they shouldn’t be losing to Ireland, Six Nations champions or not.
And you could see that sentiment coming through in the Boks’ body language this week ahead of tomorrow’s Test against England at Twickenham.
They were just a bit more measured and careful in their answers to questions, and they certainly let out all their frustrations on each other in Monday’s contact session at the Upper Latymer School sports grounds in Acton.
But while the emotion of the Dublin defeat will play a big part in the Bok effort tomorrow, it is rather the attention to detail and readiness to react to each moment that will need to be in place if they are to continue their eight-year unbeaten run against the English.
The Boks have been at their best this season when they have done things with purpose and imposed themselves on their opponents – whether it is in the set-pieces, with their physicality or kicking their goals. They need to set the tone tomorrow, unlike in Dublin, when Ireland started with a bang and never relented.
Star No8 Duane Vermeulen couldn’t hold on to the first up-and-under from Johnny Sexton in the first minute, and then Bryan Habana was tackled into touch soon afterwards when he fielded a kick close to the Bok 22.
That cannot be allowed to happen tomorrow. There needs to be better concentration when the Boks are on attack and have possession. Too often last week there was miscommunication between Francois Hougaard, Handré Pollard and Jan Serfontein, as well as the loose forwards. They were all getting in each other’s way, and that is how the ball was coughed up on several occasions.
Cobus Reinach will be bursting out of his skin when he runs out for his first Test start, and he must be allowed to play his natural game – looking for the break around the fringes, and getting the ball quickly out to the backs. Tactical kicking is not the strongest part of his game, but if he can settle down quickly, he has a boot good enough to take some pressure off Patrick Lambie at flyhalf.
England No9 Danny Care, though, is a handful and in his 50th Test appearance, will want to have a big game. He will need to be watched closely, as he is the heartbeat of the English backline.
While Lambie will look to create space for his outside backs from flyhalf, it will be of no use if Serfontein and captain Jean de Villiers barely utilise their wings. Habana and Cornal Hendricks hardly saw the ball at the Aviva Stadium as the Boks looked to go up the middle instead of stretching the Irish defence.
The onus is on the Bok backline to deliver against England, as there wasn’t much more that the forwards could’ve done in the Irish Test.
Things the Boks MUST do:
1 Kick penalties over: When a game is tight, Jean de Villiers needs to take the points, not order the penalty to be kicked out to touch.
2 Hunt down Jonny May: South Africans may not know too much about the England left wing, but just ask the All Blacks after May’s wonder try last week. Don’t allow him any space to use his electric pace.
3 Play to the referee’s whistle: Last week, the Irish used spoiling tactics at the rucks and mauls, and Romain Poite let them get away with it. The Boks need to follow suit – if Steve Walsh allows a free-for-all at the breakdown, then the South Africans need to get stuck in.
4 Keep Twickenham quiet: Don’t let England make a big play such as an early try, big tackle or raking touch-finder as that will bring the massive 80 000-plus crowd into the game. The longer the Boks keep them out, the quicker their supporters will become silent.
5 Have an element of surprise: The Boks were quite predictable on attack last week, despite kicking a few penalties into touch. Try a surprise backline move, the odd quick tap for instance. Mix it up, keep England guessing.
Starting XV’s:
England: Mike Brown, Anthony Watson, Brad Barritt, Kyle Eastmond, Jonny May, Owen Farrell, Danny Care, Billy Vunipola, Chris Robshaw (capt), Tom Wood, Courtney Lawes, Dave Attwood, David Wilson, Dylan Hartley, Joe Marler; REPLACEMENTS: Rob Webber, Matt Mullan, Kieran Brookes, George Kruis, Ben Morgan, Ben Youngs, George Ford, Marland Yarde
South Africa: Willie le Roux, JP Pietersen, Jan Serfontein, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Patrick Lambie, Cobus Reinach, Duane Vermeulen, Schalk Burger, Marcell Coetzee, Victor Matfield, Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Tendai Mtawarira; REPLACEMENTS: Bismarck du Plessis, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Bakkies Botha, Teboho Mohoje, Francois Hougaard, Handré Pollard, Cornal Hendricks – The Star