The Springboks sit comfortably atop the Rugby Championship standings after two bonus-point victories against the hapless Wallabies.
Rassie Erasmus’ men have a maximum of 10 points, while Australia, the All Blacks and Argentina’s Los Pumas have already tasted defeat in the first two rounds of the tournament.
With the Rugby Championship taking a break this week, IOL Sport’s John Goliath looks at the talking points from the first two rounds of matches that were completed over the weekend.
South African rugby is in rude health compared to Wallabies ...
Even with 10 changes to their starting team, the Springboks proved too strong for the Wallabies in dreadful conditions in Perth. Erasmus was accused of disrespecting the Australians by picking a so-called “B-team”, but the Springboks never really looked like losing, despite the Wallabies seemingly using the rules to defuse the South Africans’ scrum in the second half.
The Wallabies’ talent pool is shallow and a lot of their newbies looked like Kangaroos caught in the headlights in Brisbane and Perth, as the Springboks showcased their incredible depth without really moving into top gear. Coach Joe Schmidt has got a massive job ahead of him trying to make this team competitive before the 2027 World Cup on home soil.
The Springboks’ gameplan evolution is in full swing ...
The Springboks have added some panache to their power game, which will be a massive concern for the rest of the rugby playing world. New attack coach Tony Brown has started to unlock that potential in the back division, which was evident across both Test matches, with the South Africans scoring some wonderful tries.
It’s still a work in progress, however, as the Boks also butchered quite a few, but their attacking intent, even in the torrential rain in Perth, was there for all to see. The Springboks are dangerous on the counter, with the players’ option-taking much improved. Their passing and running off the ball off first-phase possession also saw them make metres by attacking the space rather than the man. They will get even better with time.
Springboks have to sort out discipline issues ...
The only real issues for the Springboks has been the number of silly penalties they conceded against the Wallabies over the two matches. Infringements such as not rolling away, offsides and playing the halfback are penalties than can be easily avoided.
In the match in Perth, the Boks kept the Wallabies in the game in the first half with a few silly penalties, that cost them field position or three points off the kicking tee. There were similar incidents in Brisbane, where the Springboks suffered a yellow card for repeated infringements. Tougher assignments against the All Blacks are on the horizon and the Springboks will have to sharpen up in this department.
All Blacks going through growing pains, but ...
After coming unstuck against the Argentina in Wellington in the first round, the All Blacks looked like their old clinical self at fortress Eden Park. The All Blacks really stepped up the intensity in Auckland and blew Los Pumas away with a master-class in clinical finishing in the first half.
The pack really stepped it up in the second round after a rather flat performance in Wellington. We all know what their backs are capable of when they get quality front-foot ball, and Damian McKenzie ran the show with all the ball at his disposal. Getting quality ball on a regular against the Springboks is a lot easier said than done, though, but the big win against Los Pumas gives the All Blacks a platform from which to work from ahead of two highly-anticipated Tests in the republic.
Argentina still struggling to put back-to-back performances together ...
Los Pumas produced an epic performance to overcome the All Blacks in their first match, dominating the upfront and finding ways to hurt the New Zealanders with pressure on defence and with ball in hand. But they completely fell off the bus in Auckland, as the New Zealanders stepped up the intensity.
It’s been the story of their Rugby Championship in the past, Los Pumas unable to pick themselves up physically and emotionally the week after an epic win. Obviously, they don’t have the depth of the Springboks or New Zealand, which is a key contributing factor, but you can’t just fall of a cliff every time after putting in all the work the week before. They need to use these amazing results as a springboard to go to the next level.
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