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SAINT ETIENNE – The Springboks’ use of the bench against the All Blacks last week might have come under fire from some sections, but the defending world champions have found a supporter in Wallabies coach Eddie Jones.
It came after the Springboks selected seven forwards on their eight-man bench, with loose-forward Kwagga Smith a late replacement for fullback Willie le Roux. It left halfback Cobus Reinach as the only back on Jacques Nienaber’s bench.
“It does concern you, especially when you look at the way the South Africans are abusing the bench at the moment,” Williams told the Off the Ball’s Monday Night Rugby program.
“The bench came in for safety reasons, so that people come on in positions they weren’t trained for; were weren’t putting back-rowers in the front-row.
“They had seven off the bench. Seven forwards, really, seriously? World Rugby’s got to act on this.”
Eddie Jones says the Springboks’ innovation to the bench has to be applauded. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Williams doubled down on his stance on Tuesday, saying South Africa had “abused player safety issue and put a whole pack on the bench” and claimed it was a “blight on the game”.
He added: “What South Africa did, the other day, is totally against the spirit of the game and certainly totally against player safety.”
Jones disagreed.
Asked what the next step was, Jones, who has twice selected six forwards on his bench this year, once where the decision came back to bite them against Argentina, quipped that eight forwards will be chosen on the bench.
“Well, the next step’s eight-zero,” Jones said, shortly after the Wallabies’ first open training session at the Stade Roger Baudras just outside Saint Etienne.
“Again, tradition says five-three, but that doesn’t mean it’s right. Is seven-one right, or eight-zero right? If you’re going to play a heavily dominant forward game, why wouldn’t you have more forward players on your bench?
“The world’s changing. The game of rugby’s changing. The way it’s refereed is changing. The way it’s officiated off the field is changing. It’s just the sign of the times.”
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has tipped his hat at the Springboks’ innovation. (Photo by Sydney Seshibedi/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
Jones has previously advocated for less replacements to bring back fatigue in the game.
But the respected rugby figure didn’t want to engage on whether World Rugby should look at the issue on the eve of the tournament, but said the Springboks’ innovation had to be applauded.
“It doesn’t really interest me because we’re playing a World Cup and I’m not going to change the replacement rules before the World Cup,” he said.
“We’ve just got to try to maximize it.
“We [previously] played with Japan against Georgia in the last warm-up game [in 2015] with nine forwards, six backs. So who says you’ve got to have forwards and seven backs? You don’t have to. That’s what tradition tells us.
“There’s different ways to play the game, and I applaud South Africa for being so bold and courageous in the way they wanted to play the game. That’s great innovation.”
Inspired? Not in the slightest.
“Well, it doesn’t inspire me,” he shot back to one local reporter.
“South Africans don’t inspire me, as much as I admire them.”
Former Wallabies star and three-time World Cup member Drew Mitchell agreed: “I can’t understand the uproar over the Springboks’ 7-1 bench,” he tweeted.
“You play to your strengths, SA did that! Find a way to beat it, not complain.”
The Wallabies held an open training session on Thursday at their training base just outside Saint Etienne.
Jones, who has several players including props James Slipper and Pone Fa’amausili under injury clouds, said the Wallabies were on track for their opening World Cup fixture against Georgia on September 9 at the Stade de France in Paris.
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.