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The ecstasy that comes with a dramatic comeback victory makes it difficult to soberly analyse what had transpired.
The elation that comes from such a win is intoxicating, and much like a potent drug, a comeback victory has both positive and negative effects.
Your door hinges may remain intact, however, your perspective may be drastically altered.
Prior to the dramatic victory over Ireland, I watched in terror as the entire Bok structure disintegrated into chaos. I was coming up with progressively more creative curse words to describe the imposters wearing Bok jerseys, and at half-time the crowd echoed my sentiments and booed the Boks off the field.
I considered going back to bed and getting a proper night’s rest rather than see Ireland dismantle South Africa. Instead, fanaticism took hold and I waited for the second half to begin, lamenting the pathetic first half display and dreading the heights Ireland’s score might reach.
Recalling key moments in the first half proves difficult. The entire 40 minutes was a festering bog of ineptitude, indecision and laziness. South Africa started off in a promising manner by tackling aggressively, and they looked intent on making a physical statement. However, all semblance of a cohesive performance quickly descended into a disastrous blooper reel.
Ireland took apart our defence with astute tactical kicking and demonstrated the value of a clear gameplan by repeatedly targeting our backs with high kicks. Our aerial incompetence was coupled with indiscipline, poor handling and shocking defence, making it apparent that South Africa’s gameplan was built on quicksand instead of bedrock.
The fundamental skills so sorely lacking in last week’s shocking defeat were again glaringly absent and, inexplicably, to a worse degree. On attack dropped balls and aimless passes stifled any hope of offensive pressure. The same breakdown infringements from last week continued, with serial offender Frans Malherbe once again the chief culprit.
Indeed, this was the worst half of rugby I’ve ever seen South Africa play.
The fact that our deficiencies from the previous encounter were so inadequately addressed is a further indictment of poor coaching. Either these issues weren’t appropriately rectified or the communication was ineffective – whatever the cause it translated to a woeful first half display by the Springboks.
Ireland will be wondering how they let this one get away after South Africa looked so utterly down and out at half-time.
I have to credit the coaching staff in one particular area – they noted Lwazi Mvovo’s deficiencies under the high ball and replaced him with Ruan Combrinck. In the build-up to Saturday’s clash he told the media he would catch a cannonball for South Africa, and when he took the field he looked like he was ready to do just that.
Combrinck’s hunger, passion and intensity were evident with every touch of the ball. His 40-minute performance earned him a man of the match award and deservedly so. He elevated the players around him and started to spark some belief in the wilting Bok troops.
When Willie le Roux made a scathing break he timed a brilliant pass to Combrinck who did exactly what JP Pietersen should have attempted last week. There was no vertical running or laziness in contact – this man showed everyone what he meant by catching a cannonball for his team.
He bulldozed a would-be defender and touched down in the corner, and this would prove to be the turning point for the Boks. Under Pieter de Villiers and Heyneke Meyer team selections were frustratingly conservative. Super Rugby form was often overlooked, and players vying for international game time found themselves heading overseas to greener pastures and a taste of Test rugby.
A player like Combrinck might have found himself in a similar situation, but Allister Coetzee wisely decided to include him in the Springboks squad.
For ages, players seemingly owned their jerseys, with dips in form and poor play never punished and instead reinforced with repeated selection. Who could forget Bryan Habana’s awful run of form a few years ago? No matter how badly he played we kept seeing him in a Bok jersey every match.
This is in stark contrast to New Zealand’s policy on team selection where no player position is safe. When stalwarts and superstars like Corey Jane and Israel Dagg get left out of a Rugby World Cup squad it’s no wonder why the All Blacks are number one.
The other Lions, Warren Whiteley and Franco Mostert, also galvanised the team. Whiteley scored a brilliant athletic try, cutting inside two defenders and beating a third. Mostert got behind Pieter Stephanus du Toit and used him as a battering ram through the defence cross the try line.
This work rate and intensity quickly spread to the rest of the team who began to play with more belief and confidence. The coup de grace came when Damian de Allende, struggling to reach the heights of his form last year, lowered his shoulders and plowed through the defence to touch down for the game-winning try. I almost ended up in the next apartment.
The post-mortem from this match shows that the Boks miraculously escaped from a hole they never should have found themselves in. Against fiercer opposition like New Zealand this would have been a dark day indeed for Bok rugby.
The fact that merit-based selections have been vindicated must now be weighed against the priorities of transformation, which is a sad fact indeed.
The dust has settled after a joyous victory, but the ugly truth is that for 50 minutes we were not up to standard. It remains to be seen if we can deliver a full match performance.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.