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Comment: Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer
London – They love to call it X-factor and that particular letter of the alphabet has been notably absent from the World Cup champions on the Springboks’ northern-hemisphere tour thus far.
While the All Blacks rattle up tries galore on the same shores and just look like a fast-moving, well-oiled machine, the Boks have rumbled around as if in an armoured troop carrier negotiating treacherous bogs.
That “vehicle” was somehow serving them adequately enough up until Saturday, when their Grand Slam ambitions suddenly bit the dust – make that mud – in particularly inclement conditions in Edinburgh.
One thing needs to be said in the Boks’ defence: Richie McCaw’s troops have generally had a slightly better rub of the green in terms of fair weather on match day in the UK and Ireland.
Scottish rugby writers confirmed after the 21-17 Bok reverse at Murrayfield that both atmospheric and underfoot conditions had been markedly better when New Zealand blasted the Scots a week earlier by nearly 50 points.
Indeed, watching the rain lash down on the Bok game and pitch conditions deteriorate fast only made one appreciate all the more why so many games in the English Premiership, for instance, are settled by the 9-6 or 6-3 sort of scorelines.
You do get a sense that the Boks genuinely want to give the ball some time through the hands, and now Twickenham, and the pretty imposing challenge of England, looms as their last chance on the main part of this tour to demonstrate that dynamism is not an entirely forgotten aspect of their armoury.
Or does it? A potential complicating factor to that quest -- in a match quite likely to make or break Peter de Villiers as the Boks’ World Cup 2011 coach – is that once again the weather may be conspiring against them.
A cold snap from the Scandinavian regions is expected from around Thursday, possibly bringing first snow showers of the winter to the capital and some “minus” overnight temperatures.
So the Boks have to think long and hard – they are due to name their side on Tuesday – before making wholesale changes aimed at turning them from perceived blunt instrument to sharpened blade.
It is a tricky balancing act because there is no doubt that Victor Matfield’s side could do with a much greater dollop of that previously-mentioned X-factor, when conditions do allow for running rugby.
For me, the two Steyns -- Morne at flyhalf and Francois at outside centre -- represent arguably the biggest dilemma right now.
Morne Steyn, of course, continues to be one of the most prodigious factors off the kicking tee in world, and that is an especially priceless tool in these climes.
But in terms of general play he just does not seem to be “bossing” games with the confidence or assertiveness of old. Inspiration, if you like, has been in short supply from the Bulls man.
As for Francois, he has been performing with commitment and defensive guts at No 13 on tour so far ... but also looking well less than a natural in that slot, it has to be said.
A big unit, he just does not have the explosiveness out of the blocks or twinkle toes you need for essential attacking thrust in that position.
Yet I suspect there may well be a need for both Steyns to run out at Twickenham, despite the presence in the Bok camp of two words many critics would love to see employed for key freshness’ sake on Saturday.
Those words, of course, are “Pat Lambie”.
When is the wunderkind finally going to get a protracted opportunity to show his mettle, rather than just 20 minutes or so off the bench?
Here is a suggestion encompassing all elements of the Steyn M, Steyn F and Lambie triumvirate for starting XV purposes on Saturday: why not shift Jean de Villiers, who is versatile and skilful enough to make the shift seamlessly, to outside centre, accommodate Lambie at No 12 and move Frans Steyn to fullback in place of the steady but too predictable Zane Kirchner?
That way the place-kicking reliability of Morne Steyn remains comfortingly at hand, if the England game does amount to another grim battle of penalty shots, yet Lambie is able to pull some strings immediately alongside him and might even be sneaked into the flyhalf channel himself at apt opportunities.
It would be a slightly daring thing to do, but may just amount to the happiest medium for the Boks to produce some backline artistry without surrendering any “bankers”.
Remember that when Lambie was first called closer to the action by Sharks coach John Plumtree from his own prior station at fullback, it was at No 12, where his “footballing” acumen and instincts became so quickly and satisfyingly evident ...
London – They love to call it X-factor and that particular letter of the alphabet has been notably absent from the World Cup champions on the Springboks’ northern-hemisphere tour thus far.
While the All Blacks rattle up tries galore on the same shores and just look like a fast-moving, well-oiled machine, the Boks have rumbled around as if in an armoured troop carrier negotiating treacherous bogs.
That “vehicle” was somehow serving them adequately enough up until Saturday, when their Grand Slam ambitions suddenly bit the dust – make that mud – in particularly inclement conditions in Edinburgh.
One thing needs to be said in the Boks’ defence: Richie McCaw’s troops have generally had a slightly better rub of the green in terms of fair weather on match day in the UK and Ireland.
Scottish rugby writers confirmed after the 21-17 Bok reverse at Murrayfield that both atmospheric and underfoot conditions had been markedly better when New Zealand blasted the Scots a week earlier by nearly 50 points.
Indeed, watching the rain lash down on the Bok game and pitch conditions deteriorate fast only made one appreciate all the more why so many games in the English Premiership, for instance, are settled by the 9-6 or 6-3 sort of scorelines.
You do get a sense that the Boks genuinely want to give the ball some time through the hands, and now Twickenham, and the pretty imposing challenge of England, looms as their last chance on the main part of this tour to demonstrate that dynamism is not an entirely forgotten aspect of their armoury.
Or does it? A potential complicating factor to that quest -- in a match quite likely to make or break Peter de Villiers as the Boks’ World Cup 2011 coach – is that once again the weather may be conspiring against them.
A cold snap from the Scandinavian regions is expected from around Thursday, possibly bringing first snow showers of the winter to the capital and some “minus” overnight temperatures.
So the Boks have to think long and hard – they are due to name their side on Tuesday – before making wholesale changes aimed at turning them from perceived blunt instrument to sharpened blade.
It is a tricky balancing act because there is no doubt that Victor Matfield’s side could do with a much greater dollop of that previously-mentioned X-factor, when conditions do allow for running rugby.
For me, the two Steyns -- Morne at flyhalf and Francois at outside centre -- represent arguably the biggest dilemma right now.
Morne Steyn, of course, continues to be one of the most prodigious factors off the kicking tee in world, and that is an especially priceless tool in these climes.
But in terms of general play he just does not seem to be “bossing” games with the confidence or assertiveness of old. Inspiration, if you like, has been in short supply from the Bulls man.
As for Francois, he has been performing with commitment and defensive guts at No 13 on tour so far ... but also looking well less than a natural in that slot, it has to be said.
A big unit, he just does not have the explosiveness out of the blocks or twinkle toes you need for essential attacking thrust in that position.
Yet I suspect there may well be a need for both Steyns to run out at Twickenham, despite the presence in the Bok camp of two words many critics would love to see employed for key freshness’ sake on Saturday.
Those words, of course, are “Pat Lambie”.
When is the wunderkind finally going to get a protracted opportunity to show his mettle, rather than just 20 minutes or so off the bench?
Here is a suggestion encompassing all elements of the Steyn M, Steyn F and Lambie triumvirate for starting XV purposes on Saturday: why not shift Jean de Villiers, who is versatile and skilful enough to make the shift seamlessly, to outside centre, accommodate Lambie at No 12 and move Frans Steyn to fullback in place of the steady but too predictable Zane Kirchner?
That way the place-kicking reliability of Morne Steyn remains comfortingly at hand, if the England game does amount to another grim battle of penalty shots, yet Lambie is able to pull some strings immediately alongside him and might even be sneaked into the flyhalf channel himself at apt opportunities.
It would be a slightly daring thing to do, but may just amount to the happiest medium for the Boks to produce some backline artistry without surrendering any “bankers”.
Remember that when Lambie was first called closer to the action by Sharks coach John Plumtree from his own prior station at fullback, it was at No 12, where his “footballing” acumen and instincts became so quickly and satisfyingly evident ...
