FILE - Springboks wing Cheslin Kolbe scores a try during the Autumn Nations Series Test against England.
Image: Justin Tallis / AFP
It was clear for all to see that the all-conquering Springboks played with a lot more attacking intent with ball in hand in 2024.
It started way back in the first Test of the year in June against Wales at Twickenham in London, and ended against the same opposition under the roof of the Principality Stadium in Cardiff in November.
Former All Blacks flyhalf Tony Brown, considered one of the best attack coaches in the world, joined the Springboks’ management team this year to try and evolve the Springboks’ play. After winning the previous two World Cup with a “skop, skiet and donner” approach, relying heavily on their physicality, defence and set-piece prowess, Rassie Erasmus knows they have to add a few more strings to their bow to stay ahead of the game.
Statistically, one has also been able to see the difference, as they played with a lot more width on attack to properly utilise their dangerous outside backs. They started to attack with a lot more variation, with forwards and backs passing the ball out of the back instead of just putting their heads down and barging into defenders.
The Springboks made the most clean breaks in Rugby Championship with 50, while carrying the ball 730 times in this year’s competition, compared to 485 carries two years ago in 2022, the previous time we enjoyed a full Rugby Championship schedule.
So, the Boks carried a lot more this year, but those carries were also with a bit more purpose and thinking behind it, as they got the ball into the hands of the players who could do the most damage with it.
Wing Cheslin Kolbe beat an unbelievable 21 defenders during the Rugby Championship, four more than the next best player. He also had six clean breaks and made 239 metres with ball in hand. And, to illustrate the point even more, he didn’t even feature in all of the Boks’ matches.
But how did they actually do it? How did they get their dangerous players in the game?
Well, the change has been quite simple, but mightily effective.
Most teams attack with a pod of three players - forwards - off the ruck, where the scrumhalf would find one of them to take the ball up or pass it out of the back. The idea is to get the defending team to defend narrow and close to the ruck. The out of the back pass is to find the space on the outside.
Over the last four years Ireland have used this with great success, as they have created space on the inside and outside with these plays, beating the rush and drift defences with intricate passing moves.
The Springboks, however, have added some extra sauce to that idea, using four players instead of three and varying the play with a range of different options. But for that to happen the Boks’ forwards’ passing skills had to improve.
Speaking on TheRugbyPod podcast, former Wales flyhalf Dan Bigger, mentioned that the Springboks’ forwards made a lot more passes post the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. They do out of the back passes, little short passes and even offloads in the tackle.
Normally, they would be on the receiving end of those passes. But now the big men are encouraged to pass out of the back or offload in the tackle. With the Springboks' ability to dominate the gain line, they are now keeping defenders guessing as to what is coming next.
“What that does, it doesn’t just give you a man to line-up and just hit as a defender. The Springboks have got forwards passing and guys like Manie Libbok and Handre Pollard popping out of the back and getting passes and offloads. It’s taking their game to a new level,” Biggar said.
“Normally teams will play with three forwards off No 9 or 10. What South Africa is doing, they are playing with four, narrowing the defensive line even more, but always having an extra forward to service the next ruck to get a quick ball.
“That then gives the speedsters like Cheslin Kolbe, more room, time and space to attack three or four defenders as opposed to five or six defenders.”
The scary fact is that the Springboks have only scratched the surface of their attacking patterns and systems. By the time we get to the next Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027, they could be simply unstoppable with ball in hand.
@JohnGoliath82