Springbok legacy nearing an end

A delusion is defined as a fixed, false belief that continues to be held despite evidence to the contrary. The perception of South Africa’s status as a great rugby nation is in danger of becoming just that – a delusion.

Recently, the Springboks have made history for all the wrong reasons. Unprecedented losses to Argentina, Japan and now a first ever home loss to Ireland point towards a calamitous drop in standards and a palpable dissolution of our once proud aura.

“Step right up, folks, get your Springbok scalps. Discount prices all year round.”

Some would argue that I’m being too critical of a team that’s only been training together for a fortnight and under the direction of a brand new coaching staff. However, the faces might be new but the gameplan certainly isn’t. I’m not entirely sure there was a gameplan to speak of – it’s possible that it was left on the back of a napkin somewhere at the hotel.

Fans expecting excitement from a new-look Bok squad would have been treated to a tragic display of toxic deja vu. Simply put, this was the most hapless display by a Springbok team that I’ve seen in my short 25 years.

Ten minutes into the match we were being bullied in the collisions and outwitted at the breakdown, and with repeated maul infringements near our tryline we found ourselves a man down. The Boks looked shellshocked from the outset and there was never any indication of a return to composure.

The red card against a CJ Stander should have been a turning point which galvanised the impotent Boks and possibly led to a blowout victory, especially after Ireland suffered a yellow card on top of that.

With a two- man advantage, South Africa put on a masterclass of how to not find space. It is a tragic indictment of this side that a two-man advantage can’t even make our attack look threatening. The Springbok effort during that time was woefully pedestrian, lacking urgency or a killer instinct to take advantage of the vulnerable opposition.

The backline approach to attack seemed to consist of seeing what Willie le Roux could pull out of his hat. We ran very laterally which did little to challenge Ireland’s defensive structures – they couldn’t have asked for an easier day at the office than what we offered.

And, once again, I watched helplessly as we kicked aimlessly and gave away possession, which worked well a few times thanks to inspired aerial play by Lwazi Mvovo. Apart from re-gathering a few box kicks, the kicking game did little to aid our cause.

Old habits also seem to be thriving among the forwards, who continually ran too high in contact, didn’t protect the ball and insisted on catching the ball while stationary. None of our forwards take the ball at pace, instead opting to receive possession while immobile and take a few steps, only to fold into the opposition.

Embarrassingly, there was no urgency during the last quarter from any of the players to create a spark. Even after Pieter-Steph du Toit scored a timely intercept it was all smiles and relaxed body language – it’s as if the players didn’t think we could lose the game.

The scoreline flattered the Boks. It’s probably best we didn’t score near the end because we wouldn’t have deserved a victory after such a pitiful display. Besides, that’s wishful thinking given JP Pietersen had the ball in the wrong hand and ran with about as much intent as someone trying to buy milk before the shop closes.

In the second match of the 2009 British and Irish Lions series Jaque Fourie scored a classic try near the end which saw him run over a few players and dive into the corner with an outstretched hand like a man possessed. It is one of my favourite tries of all time. Good luck finding a Springbok on the pitch who showed similar heart against Ireland.

The last three minutes saw the Boks string together phases for the first time in the match and mount a sustained attack. Unfortunately, it was too little too late. It was exceptionally frustrating to watch us sit on our laurels and defend for 77 minutes, only to flip a switch and try to throw everything but the kitchen sink at the opposition in the dying minutes.

With 30 minutes left in the New Zealand-Wales game, my dad wondered if the Welsh would pull off an upset, but I reminded him of the All Black sixth gear mentality. There’s always more in the tank for the Kiwis.

For the All Blacks, winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing. Every single player on that field knows there are five more guys behind him ready to break down the door and take his spot.

This mentality is painfully lacking among the Springboks. We are breeding a culture of mediocrity and complacency. You’d think the senior members in the squad would have had enough of suffering historic losses, but that certainly didn’t translate to any discernible action on the field.

It beggars belief that we are lamenting such basic, fundamental inadequacies in the Springbok gameplan. Handling errors, lateral running, breakdown infringements – mistakes like these hamper momentum and prevent a solid foundation being formed on which to build a victory. Ultimately, these elementary mistakes reflect poorly on senior management, who should be ensuring these principles are executed flawlessly.

I’m not so sure if my psyche can continue to wake up at 1am for these traumatic disappointments. As a good armchair expert I am usually full of bright ideas, but I can’t come up with anything at this point.

I do live in Melbourne, so I suppose it might be time to start watching footy; that, or buy a Japan jersey.