In the words of General Melchett’s school song in Blackadder, the Springboks handed out a full on ‘belts off, trousers down’ hiding at Twickenham. The All Blacks head to France with a whole bunch of questions to answer that France, Ireland and South Africa are going to ask again and again come the big show.
Right from the off the Boks played with a directness, a physicality and a ruthlessness in the attacking zone which not only has been missing for while but one which ultimately made such a huge difference on the scoreboard.
The match stats would not lead you to the final outcome, but South Africa had 13 entries to the 22 to 11 from the All Blacks with the major difference being their final phases execution.
Well led by Manie Libbok, South Africa took every advantage afforded them by a long numerical advantage, an advantage well-earned it should be noted, and they supported their pack’s performance with a wonderful mix of running and kicking decision making that the All Blacks never really adjusted to.
Worth noting here is the difference in line kicking from Libbok and Jordie Barrett, Libbok driving his team to maul territory from halfway or further back, while New Zealand could not bring the same pressure.
That tactic, which hasn’t worked for the All Blacks all year now, needs to be shelved. Listening to a few interviews over recent weeks it appears that is a player-led decision. It’s time to make the tough call.
This variation in game play has been dripped into this South African side over the last couple of seasons, and fair to say, its not one that has been working on a regular basis: but at Twickenham their decision making was spot on and the execution of same, excellent.
Repeatedly they went back to their strengths, won penalties, kicked for the line magnificently and racked up the points off the back of that continued pressure.
The opening ten minutes was a superb vignette in its own right, pounding pressure from the South African pack and a set of defensive phases from the All Blacks, which the defence coach would have been more than happy with. But that critical factor of remaining calm under consistent pressure saw a whole bunch of individual decision failures, no more so than the two offences from Scott Barrett, both needless. Playing against this South African pack down in numbers is always going to end badly.
The All Blacks would be foolish to fall back on the numerical difference as the reasons for the loss. It certainly contributed to the final size of the defeat, but the core reasons make it difficult to believe playing with a full complement for the 80 minutes would have made any difference to the final outcome.
The absence of Shannon Frizell not only contributed to a weaker maul defence and ball carrying effort out of their own end, but also holed the All Blacks lineout below the waterline before they even started.
With only two genuine lineout options, the Springboks not only read the All Blacks’ throws with consummate ease but were confident enough to consistently throw up jumpers on their own defensive lineouts cutting off much of the All Black attacking threat at source.
Refer back to the entries into the 22 and the massive difference in points per visit outcomes. A final count of 5-6 lineouts lost is just unacceptable at this level.
Ethan de Groot of New Zealand looks dejected following the team’s defeat in the the Summer International match between New Zealand All Blacks v South Africa . (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
But where the All Blacks will have the greatest concern was how easily they fell out of/ were knocked out of the patterns that have served them so well post the coaching team change over.
The patience they had developed with the ball was gone, the ability and willingness to grind their way into a game disappeared in favour of the trying to score with every touch, and the ball handling skills, which have been so good of late, were gone in a haze of poor offloads and defensive pressure as well as a series of poor individual decisions that conceded penalties. It was a throwback to the very worst days of 2020-2021.
The big difference in this All Black side over the past 12 months has come from control – sticking to a mix of kick and run options that push back the opposition and allow them to strike from the right areas of the field.
Time and again their handling and lineout released any pressure they were able to build onto the Boks, and South Africa missed 40 tackles today so a more patient accurate approach would likely have delivered better New Zealand outcomes.
Beauden Barrett reacts during the heavy defeat. (Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images)
This was a statement performance from South Africa, high energy, building on rock solid foundations and execution in the attacking third that now pushed them firmly to the top of the World Cup favouritism along with France.
For the All Blacks, perhaps the best outcome is having a loss of this magnitude before it really counts, the confirmation of Cam Roigard as the bench halfback and the surprising ability to keep the match stats balanced while playing for so long under manned.
The mix of squad loose forwards selected always looked light and that was confirmed. The new combo midfield was seriously exposed both sides of the ball. Most importantly, the top two inches had a throw-back wobble, and anything like a repeat under pressure against the top sides in the RWC will likely yield the same results.
Lux Interior
Roar Rookie
Goodhue is also the best ball distributing centre in NZ. Potentially great career (Crotty reckoned Goodhue would be an AB centurion) wrecked by injury. He's off to Top 14 for 2 years and will only be 32 by the 2027 RWC.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Ref was not one-eyed. Weak teams panic and buckle under pressure to give away penalties. Bokke were fierce!
Colin Fenwick
Roar Rookie
....he [Cane] is often too soft in the tackle... Huh?
Highlander
Roar Guru
While improvements have been obvious, was always a concern that they would revert to the previous ingrained style under pressure and so it proved, it takes time to bed it in and get rid of those old habits. Your NPC bys are doing great Had another look at this game, team systems actually worked quite well - the individual lapses really hurt the side.
Highlander
Roar Guru
Thanks AtW, appreciated
Digby
Roar Guru
Great stuff mate, although I am a bit late to this one. While improvements have been obvious, was always a concern that they would revert to the previous ingrained style under pressure and so it proved, it takes time to bed it in and get rid of those old habits. What was dissapointing was that the warning shots were there for all to see in the last clash and we were not quite up for it, nor able to adapt to what was in front of us, same spreading of the forwards on attack, trying to play our way out of our own territory, frustrates me. When it is time to play narrow, stay narrow and utilise the obvious kicking strengths we have available. It is a territory game. Anyhow, a good kick in the pants as I imagine France will take a similar approach, I am optimistic we can adapt and right now, I have Wellington to fall back on which is going well. :stoked:
Jacko
Roar Rookie
So the 4 NH refs we had in the RC all reffed very differently??? Seems odd to me unless there was a reason.
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
:silly: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
John AH
Roar Rookie
I have watched him play for years No impact for a 2nd five Also is not a good defender, rush out of line Very good link man as a center Not what the ABs need at the moment
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Sure Harry. No doubt NZ "almost won" that 28 point last match. NZ favourites to go out in the 1/4s according to many on here. However, should NZ happen to fluke some win v SA in future, having paid the ref
thousandsmillionsbillions to have 12 Boks sent off, and then bribing the assistants to pretend a kick went over the posts, we could well get back to those halcyon days of a 2 point win. All done as favourites no doubt.Jacko
Roar Rookie
Lockie last time I checked hitting a player in the head isnt allowed when trying to free onesself. Im happy for you to show me the law that allows it tho.
ButThinkOfTheSnails
Roar Rookie
“… Mounga to take kick-offs and touchfinders, go back to how footy is ment to be played 1st five runs the cutter …” Yes and yes again. Btw I just don’t get the short touch finder tactic from JB. So what if one out of five goes too long or fails to find touch. The other 4 get us an extra 15 m upfield.
ButThinkOfTheSnails
Roar Rookie
They tactically showed very little to nothing (on purpose?) and seemed almost naive in their approach. Their attacking structure was very static, giving easy D reads for the Boks. They really struggled with the refereeing also - Cane appeared very unhappy at multiple stages, and seemed unprepared for this refs interpretations. One thing obvious at the ground at least was the Boks had full control of the pace of the game - damn it was slow - and the ABs were incapable of increasing it (not least because they couldn’t retain possession for more than a few phases, or if they did they would end up losing a line out or giving away a penalty in the scrum). The Boks front row especially got gassed after a few phases, but since that rarely happened (and when it did they just took a knee anyway) it made no difference.
ButThinkOfTheSnails
Roar Rookie
Was at the game, low down on the try line (where Marx scored, more on that later), saw BB’s kick. He clearly mis-kicked it, wobble-sliced off his boot. Looked like from my angle that he was trying to clear, not kick-pass, he just f’ed it up as he panicked a bit and rushed it. Was obvious they were having big problems with the bok rush D, and was not only BB that panicked (although he did so in several occasions). The Marx try was such a poor read by the AB D. It happened right in front of us (3rd row) and it was obvious it was on and the SA line out was preparing for it. No comms on the AB side. Smith was left alone to deal with a rampaging bull and was blown down like he wasn’t there. An odd match to watch. Some random thoughts – when the ABs stopped giving away penalties and didn’t drop the ball, they made ground fairly easily without doing very much – this was the comments also of many of the SA crowd. But come 2nd half, a quick try to the Boks and it was all Hail Mary stuff. No patience, no depth, one or two off the ruck (assuming the ball wasn’t dropped) – that was it. Roigard made a huge difference when he came on. Telea was able to break the first line but would get caught right after. Mounga was superb and very brave under the high ball – and took some punishment for it. Our loosies were too light and were blown away. Esterhuizen is a very big boy. JB and RI didn’t obviously communicate that much. All in all – it looked like we were 5% off all over and no one was able to rectify that on the park.
Harry Jones
Expert
Jacko. You tying yourself in knots, son. I’ve been telling you the Boks are underdogs. It’s NZ’s tourney to win, as it is every time. But the 2023 ABs are not as good as the 2015 ABs who almost lost to Bokball in a 2-pt SF because Boks forced a long period of sad, infringing, squeezed, pressured AB. That way still exists, even though the Irish Way is sexier. It’s still a less-than-50% pathway, especially in NZ. But outside of NZ, I wonder if the Bok Way (keep NZ to a low score) is still better than the prettier Irish Way (hold the ball and win a higher score game). There’s a reason for some penalties/cards: it’s called pressure. Most teams can’t put NZ under that much territorial and defensive pressure. But SA can. Still underdogs, because NZ is NZ
Lockie
Roar Rookie
He was being held, off the ball, trying to free himself.
Ankle-tapped Waterboy
Roar Rookie
Highlander I don't know who you are in real life or your background but your ability to read, interpret, and communicate rugby makes your articles and comments an essential for my rugby fanboy pleasure. Thanks for the synopsis and the warning. Whither Frizzell, alas?
Muzzo
Roar Rookie
TBH Carlin, even though there has been rule changes over the decades, IMO we just haven't the old ' tough nuts' of the past. Like real hard nosed, give it all forwards, as Kevin Skinner, Frank Oliver, Ian Clarke, Dennis Young, then Hazlett, & later on Keith Murdoch, along with a lot more recently Carl Hayman are some, that wouldn't take a backward step, especially Oliver. TBH the AB forwards,now, do have more rules to adhere by, but they do need a bit more punch behind their efforts. Just my opinion, Bro.
ShortBlind
Roar Rookie
Shouldn’t be OB but look at the evidence. It’s been obvious for years that different referees see and interpret some elements of the rules differently. Hence the saying ‘adjust and play the ref’. AB didn’t adjust and perhaps it’s hard to change muscle and brain memories quickly from those they have used all season down south in SR. I reckon it may be in the team talk agenda under the item ‘accuracy’.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
OB they just won 4 in a row to wrap up the Bledisloe, RC and Freedom cups. Thats not a win/loss trend.