World Rugby's endorsement of the Springboks' bomb squad: A game-changer for player longevity

This week World Rugby basically confirmed what we as South Africans already knew … The Springboks’ ‘bomb squad’ is actually better for the health and longevity of players.

The 7-1 bench split has been a much-debated issue ever since the Springboks used the strategy in the 2023 Rugby World Cup which they won.

The ‘bomb squad’ first got its identity during the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, when Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus used 6-2 bench splits to great success during the tournament.

The Springboks have a plethora of quality forwards and the thinking behind the ‘bomb squad’ is for a fresh bunch of forwards to make a big impact in the second half of matches after the starters emptied the tank in the first stanza. Erasmus ramped it up four years later with a 7-1 split.

This year France went into various Six Nations matches with a 7-1 split, beating Ireland in Dublin with the strategy. Most teams in the competition also used a 6-2 split compared to the more traditional 5-3 split.

Most pundits, rugby bosses and coaches in the Northern Hemisphere have been against the Boks' use of their bench.

Former Scotland coach Matt Williams has been vocal in his criticism of Erasmus and the Boks’ ‘bomb squad’, saying it “discriminates against backline players” and it’s “dangerous”.

There have even been calls to ban the 7-1 split.

According to the Guardian, World Rugby chairman, Brett Robinson, acknowledged that 7-1 splits raise questions over the spirit of the game, but, having made it a priority to decrease fatigue in the sport, the governing body does not see a scientific issue with teams loading their benches with forwards.

World Rugby’s chief executive, Alan Gilpin, said: “We looked at it from a science, medicine perspective. Was there a distinctive view that a bunch of fresh players coming on with 20‑30 minutes to go is going to create a more injurious position, and the science said that’s not the case.

“So there was no reason from that perspective to look at how we might do replacements differently. Ultimately, there are a lot of different ways to win a rugby match.”

It’s no wonder Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus replied with a “So Lekka” post on X, which was accompanied by South Africa and French flags emojis.

The fact is, while the 7-1 split strategy is suited to the Springboks style of play because they have amazing depth in the forwards, it’s also keeping players fresh and adding a few more years to their careers.

There was a stat after the 2019 final which showed that England forwards had basically played a full match more – in terms of minutes – than the Springboks ahead of their meeting in the final.

And the Springboks’ pack pumped England in that showpiece match, even though they lost hooker Bongi Mbonambi and lock Lood de Jager early in the piece.

Six years later and most of that pack are now a couple of years away from making a third World Cup, because they rarely play a full match. Williams talks about the 7-1 causing injuries, while it’s actually preventing them. 

Essentially, the whole world should be copying the Boks, for innovation to win trophies and to keep their players healthy.

@JohnGoliath82