Share

Morné Steyn the Boks' saviour?

Gary Boshoff

A combination of good fortune, Bismarck and Morne; yes, that’s what got the Springboks the win on Saturday! Oh, I forgot about Jaque Fourie: he who saved three clear tries in the first half, two of which was a result of calculated rushes when he sensed a try was on for the All Blacks.

The Springboks got away with some critical lapses in their defensive systems during that first quarter of the match. It was just way too easy to break through our defensive line. It is still the most worrying aspect as we head to New Zealand.

The Test proved very informative for the All Blacks’ coaches. The youthful Israel Dagg has thrown down the gauntlet to Graham Henry, presenting a serious challenge to Mills Muliaina for the first-choice fullback position.

Sonny Bill Williams once again lived up to the hype by displaying his strong running and deceptive passing skills - which has become his trademark. Williams pulled the tacklers towards him and put Richard Kahui and Dagg into space at will. At times the All Blacks’ midfield made the experienced Springbok midfield look second rate. Not once was the All Black defensive line broken in the midfield and this from a centre pairing playing together for the very first time in a Test.

For the Springboks (and the supporters especially) the win over the All Blacks came like manna from heaven; we needed it badly. 

However, while celebrating the win we must remain honest and realistic about the performance as a whole. While the Springboks showed a lot of grit and determination in defence in the second half, there remain some serious issues to tackle.

The scrum was pretty impressive with Bismarck du Plessis's impact clearly giving the Springboks that extra edge. His physical presence as hooker is unequalled at scrum time, when he carries the ball or when he defends. The Springboks should not play without him if they don’t have to - they need him on the field all the time. 

However, despite the good scrum on Saturday we must acknowledge that the two All Black front-rowers, John Afoa and Tony Woodcock haven't played rugby for four weeks and were not at their very best - so we shouldn’t read too much into Gurthro Steenkamp and Beast's strong showing. 

Heinrich Brussow showed he is fast on his way back to his very best. He is going to be critical in combating Richie McCaw and David Pocock when we play the All Blacks or Australia at the World Cup.

Just how best to use Brussow and Schalk Burger poses a similar type of conundrum to the John Smit/Bismarck du Plessis dilemma. Maybe the solution lies in playing Burger from the bench with Brussow starting with Willem Alberts. When Bakkies goes off in the second half, Alberts moves to lock and Burger can come on to wreck havoc in that last 20 minutes of the match. An approach which in my view will help the Springboks to stay competitive at the rucks and tackles throughout.

The few minutes Patrick Lambie played he once again demonstrated his maturity to play at this level and play well. He’s got the right skill-set and attitude to make a massive difference to the Springboks’ World Cup campaign. I would rather play him than Frans Steyn. In fact, I am of the view that Lambie and Gio Aplon should be the fullbacks for the tournament, but all indications are that De Villiers will go for Steyn with Aplon on standby in case of injury.

I deduce from the coach’s comments in the newspapers that Morne Steyn has now been re-proclaimed as the “special one” for the World Cup. It is certainly a massive burden on the Bulls’ pivot’s shoulders, for if De Villiers opts for the more conservative approach at the RWC, tries, as in the last few Tests, will be a scarcity. 

The Springboks and South Africa it seems to me will be relying heavily on Morne Steyn to win the RWC. If Saturday is used as a yardstick of his abilities, it certainly isn’t too bad an option. But will it be enough?
 
A fascinating Tri-Nations "final" awaits on Saturday. Will Henry recall his first-choice players to win the Tri-Nations? Off course, if he selects them and the Australians get it right on the day, then the confidence boot will definitely be on Wallaby feet come RWC time.

As for the Springboks, it’s knuckle down time until that all important opener against Wales. I can't wait any longer!

Gary Boshoff is a former SARU player and current Afrikaans rugby commentator on SuperSport.

Disclaimer: Sport24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on Sport24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Sport24.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1472 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2251 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE