We have the Rugby World Cup final that was always there as a juicy morsel of possibility, and even one that many of us might have wanted. Whether we thought we’d get it seven weeks ago is up to the individual to admit.
I didn’t think we would, for the record. I had Ireland and France getting through last week. But once they didn’t, I certainly didn’t see anything other than a New Zealand-South Africa decider coming.
And I certainly didn’t see England leading the second semi-final for 78 minutes. A 30-plus thumping like the night before was never on the cards, but England weren’t supposed to front-run.
But to their credit, they did a lot of things right to get into that position. Chief among that was their kick-chase, which ensured that the Springboks never had an easy time of defusing any kick out of hand, which in turn negated the attacking threat of the Boks speed men on their edges.
The curiosity of this is two-fold. How much New Zealand might go to school on England’s kicking tactics and positioning for their own benefit, and obviously, how much South Africa might have learned from them themselves.
The tactic was there from kick-off: England outside centre Joe Marchant got through and actually got both hands on the ball to give the Springboks a knock-on advantage before they’d even taken their first possession. The Boks kicked the advantage away and that was cleanly taken by fullback Freddie Steward, but that set up England’s first proper crack at their tactic.
England played another phase to the openside to increase the angle, set the first of many, many caterpillar rucks for the match (remind me again when they’ll be outlawed from?), from which scrumhalf Alex Mitchell put up a box kick from just inside his half.
On the near side, Elliot Daly can be seen momentarily pausing the timing of his run to maintain his being onside. He gets a checkered run from South African pair Cobus Reinach and Kurt-Lee Arendse, but still arrives in position to beat Manie Libbok into the air and tap the ball back to the arriving England chasers.
England played two passes into the middle of the field and for the ruck contest, won the penalty, and Owen Farrell kicked the first of four first-half penalty goals. Early advantage taken.
From the restart and Maro Itoje’s clean catch, England set another ruck just outside their 22, extended the length with two additional bodies to such effect that Mitchell’s box kick was taken inside the 22, launching it aerially to come down on the halfway line.
Daly again worked hard to time his run – and repeat use of the pause button could only conclude he got it spot on – got an interrupted run from Arendse again to this time be outjumped by Damien Willemse, but still managed to get enough of a touch to see the ball roll into touch. ‘Knocked back off white,’ referee Ben O’Keeffe ruled, so first lineout throw of the match to South Africa.
But Itoje outfoxed the Bok jumpers, allowing England to again play another phase inland, this time setting Farrell up for the exit kick to the far side.
Farrell’s kick wasn’t his best and didn’t make much ground, meaning Jonny May didn’t need to cover much ground to create the contest. But he did manage to get a hand above Cheslin Kolbe, the ball rolled into touch for a South African scrum feed.
The match clock at this point reads 4:13, and England had already created and influenced three kick contests to varying degrees of success.
This was the difference between the sides on the night. South Africa tried to make contestable kicks, but they gave Steward all the time and position to set himself for the contest in the central channels. But in their own half, England would set rucks on the 15-metre tramline complete with two or three extra sets of legs at the back for length, for Mitchell to hook a kick back down the left edge and allow Daly to get through and force a contest.
And this was Daly’s sole job for the night; his stats sheet reads for three passes only. No carries, no metres made, no line breaks and no defenders beaten – but countless kick contests, some won, some not, but all of them ensuring Willemse or Libbok or whoever was at the back cleaning up wasn’t getting a clean catch on any kick.
Manie Libbok of South Africa is substituted off the field during the Rugby World Cup France 2023 match between England and South Africa at Stade de France on October 21, 2023 in Paris, France. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
With such an effective blueprint laid out bare, it’s hard to imagine New Zealand not using similar tactics – be that adopting England’s methods completely and very deliberately, or reverting to comparable tactics they’ve used themselves in the past.
There’s plenty of size in the All Blacks’ outside backs to take the same sort of advantage that England did, either by making every kick in the direction of Kolbe and Arendse a contest, or by methodically testing the confidence of Willemse and Libbok at the back in isolation.
More’s the point, they’ll be able to employ the tactic with a lot more speed and precision than England did, making it an altogether more dangerous prospect for the Springboks.
And further, they’ll do it from multiple angles, with Aaron Smith’s box kick among the best in the game, and with Richie Mo’unga and Beauden Barrett both more than capable of kicking for a target. Everyone in black jerseys 11 to 15 can chase a kick just as effectively as Daly did all Saturday night.
Of course, Jacques Nienaber is a smart guy. So is Rassie Erasmus. They’ll have reviewed everything England threw and kicked at them, and will already be working on positioning and everything else knowing that New Zealand will be trying to similarly exploit them.
Knowing what’s coming is one thing, dealing with it in that moment another thing altogether, however.
England very nearly pulled of what would have been the upset of the 2023 Rugby World Cup. I didn’t think they’d get anywhere near as close to South Africa as they did, but they almost pulled it off.
What South Africa learned from England’s tactics will be really interesting to see play out at the Stade de France on Saturday night.
But what New Zealand learned from them might just be match-winning.
WEST
Roar Guru
Twickenham game was a mess, two yellow cards.. Scott Barrett a red, he was off the entire second half. Discipline was the issue there and again against France.. Our discipline has to be flawless! No doubt the Boks will push our buttons and try to milk penalties. We just have to be very clinical and as accurate as possible! If we can make our passes & off loads stick.. Find some gaps once we’ve established some momentum.. we should put the game out of reach with time to spare :thumbup: Also. The ABs bench are calling themselves Easy Company now, they’ve been watching band of brothers. Hopefully they can deal with the Boks bomb squad. I have a feeling this is going to be a very vintage performance by the All Blacks.
Kevin
Roar Rookie
I also thought thw speed to the breakdown was crucial for England. It was the fastest and most aggressive I had seen them for years. This meant SA could not get any attack organised, forcing them to kick under pressure, hence why Libbock was taken off.
piru
Roar Rookie
One thing you can just about guarantee is that the Boks won't play the same game - Rassie is a tricky old dog
Fox
Roar Guru
I with you to a point Brett. It was exciting because of how close it was and that it looked like for a long time England would pull it off, but the game was blighted somewhat by never ending farcical and deliberate time wasting where O'Keefe had to issue a warning to both sides and their support staff. He should have done it far sooner IMO.
Fox
Roar Guru
I agree Brett but I doubt even you want to see 25 plus penalties in game- one every 3.5 minutes or even worse and I doubt you like seeing the TMO constantly jumping in all the time either like they are insecure they won’t get noticed and especially for some of the mindless callbacks. In AB semi final – the TMO stopped the game showed the footage he thought showed an infringement then when the ref said “I see nothing much in that at all how do you see it” and the bloody TMO goes “Yes I agree”. What the ? Then why friggen stop the game you wannabe 5 minutes of fame in big knockout game clown. Thank god he is not in the final.
Fox
Roar Guru
Condition look good for the game - as of now anyway
Fox
Roar Guru
I think you make some strong points as always Brett. Rassey has already commented that they will be looking at the Poms tactics and how to counter them but as you say dealing with it under pressure against an AB side with far more pace and precision across their backline is another. My issue with England is they never really looked scoring a try even though they were in the Boks 22m zone more often. So, they nullified the Boks game but perhaps nullified their own attacking game out wide in the process and the AB’s will not have any part of a tactic that does that so I suspect it will be a reproduced AB version of the tactic but not a remake. I suspect we will see a few chips in behind by the AB’s as well and a little more back play from the Boks. Discipline from both sides might be the key and Barnes stopping the deliberate time wasting by the Boks and their support staff which is now farcical. Key man – Irish Joe who some X-Irish players said last week on UK TV analyses each individual player in the opposition and the plays and their D, searching very meticulously for any weakness then plots way to exploit that weakness. The players were saying they have never seen any coach who dissects an opposition side like JS so it will be interesting what he might spot and how the AB’s exploit it. the move that Mounga did to set up Jordan against Ireland was exactly that from Joe apparently.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
Not this time….win or lose, he departs. He won’t be blamed either cos, he listened….but, you didn’t read my earlier post did you cos you, were in so much hurry, to walk your fingers. Now, untuck your shirt and let Eddie grab it…..except, methinks he won’t listen to you cos, you have nothing to offer him.
Pete Samu's Tucked Shirt
Roar Rookie
Off side Boks haha. ABs are notorious for jumping offside. I'm still in shock they held their discipline for 37 straight phases. Statistically, they will infringe if up against 10 phases or more. It goes both ways
Pete Samu's Tucked Shirt
Roar Rookie
Yet if they lose its panic stations and blame the coach. But if the ABs are winning...different story.
Nobody
Roar Rookie
Did England's tactics against the Boks give New Zealand the blueprint for World Cup final victory? Yeah. Don't do what England did.
Old Bugger
Roar Rookie
People did PS but, look what happened when he finally listened.....?? He not only has a plan B or C but also, a couple of lively assistants sitting beside him to let him know just when, "to pull the trigger and initiate either, of those plans." Fozzie has turned out, to be a good listener, after all.
Jacko
Roar Rookie
Was Libbock playing bad or was it just a Rassie ego change so he would be the headline? So you believe the ABs dont have plan B and C? I certainly do and its so obvious over the last 2 weeks Im shocked you havnt seen it.
kgbagent
Roar Rookie
Myth that Bok pack are bigger - NZ is heavier
Pete Samu's Tucked Shirt
Roar Rookie
There is no way both WR and Barnes will allow another repeat of the Ben’O’Keeffe shamozzle to occur. Barnes will set his standard early, and then get on with it. BoK was terrible is insisting he talk to everyone. We’re not here to talk about rugby, just get on with it! Barnes is the right man for the job. He’ll let then play
Pete Samu's Tucked Shirt
Roar Rookie
Really? I thought people bagged Foster out for failing to have a Plan B or C. The Boks proved they are willing to adapt by bring Pollard on early. Would Foster and Co do the same, say, pull Mo'unga early if he is having a shocker? I doubt it..
Pete Samu's Tucked Shirt
Roar Rookie
Wayne Barnes: the real winner of this contest! I'm happy neither Angus Gardner or Ben O'Keeffe are in the final
Pete Samu's Tucked Shirt
Roar Rookie
Scott Barrett might want to be careful 'belting' people with aggressive clean outs and tackles. Let's hope no cards
4 of 6
Roar Rookie
England played a game that suited them down to the ground. The Boks seemed a little bit off, but that was enough for England to give this semi a real shake and they almost pulled it off. The ABs will no doubt use some of the tactics, but with another wet weekend coming , the kicking game may will dominate again. The Boks have two small fast winger and a forward pack that has two hard test matches on the trot. The ABs had a soft semi. Fatigue will be an issue for the Boks forwards, so turning them around , make them chase the ball would be one tactic. The second would to attack the wingers with high balls……Jodie and Jordon are ideal in those situations. In fact, I noticed Jodie hanging around the touch line on a number of occasions during the Pumas game. Yes , the Poms provided a basic plan, I except Schmidt will develop it further.
Brett McKay
Expert
Fair enough, thanks for the response, mate. Wasn't 100% sure how to read "Yourself included no doubt"..