Cape Town - In many ways, you have to agree with Kwagga Smith’s comment that the players’ efforts in the Springboks’ 25-17 drubbing against Australia can’t be faulted.
Smith, who replaced No 8 Duane Vermeulen early in the second half, was speaking after the Boks’ disaster of a performance in Adelaide, which saw the continuation of their horror run Down Under, where they haven’t won since 2013.
Smith brought big energy to the hapless Bok side and scored their only two tries in the final five minutes.
“You can’t fault the effort (of the players),” Smith said after the match.
“We had opportunities to get points and will have to make those efforts better. We have to be more effective.
“As a bench-sitter, I’m supposed to make an impact. I have to do what I have to. I try my best, and I also make mistakes.”
There sure were some off individual displays in Adelaide, with flyhalf Handre Pollard leading that charge by a mile, but there were also those who were solid.
Elton Jantjies, in his first outing since the Loftus Versfeld Test against Wales, was decent when he came on for Pollard in the 60th minute, while starters Lood de Jager (lock) and centre Lukhanyo Am were good. Damian Willemse was also constantly trying to spark something in the Boks’ dull display.
Again, while some players were downright shocking, it is a fact that the guys on the field can only be held accountable to a certain extent.
Coach Jacques Nienaber’s team were average at best in the three-Test series against Wales and they should never have lost to an All Blacks team that not only suffered historic defeats to Ireland, but who are the poorest they have been in many years.
Drastic improvement will be needed by the Springboks all round.
The Boks’ defence seems to be in tatters, their finishing keeps failing, good moments are too easily undone, and, as an added irritation, the Boks have developed the double threat of not only starting slowly, but also failing to close out games.
There sometimes seems to be no plan – especially when they’re under pressure – and when one is present, it begs the question of how beneficial it is to the players.
Why have or bring some players into the mix only to have them move away from their strengths?
A lot can change in a year, and it would be greatly premature to think the Springboks are in danger in terms of their World Cup title defence in France.
But after yet another loss in Australia, South Africa are left with more questions than answers, and Nienaber not knowing where they went wrong doesn’t help much.
@WynonaLouw