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'Masterful coaching': Ex All Black sees genius in Nienaber and Erasmus plan
By Josh Raisey
From injuries to results, plenty of people would think that South Africa’s World Cup title defence has not gone to plan so far. But former All Black Andrew Mehrtens believes an intricate plan devised by Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus is falling into place nicely.
While no coach would want to see any players get injured, it is a reality of rugby and World Cups that casualties will occur as the tournament progresses. Speaking on the Official Rugby World Cup 2023 podcast this week, the 70-cap All Black said that injuries in the Springbok camp have allowed the coaches to call upon their favoured fly-half, Handre Pollard, while also sending a message to the 2019 World Cup winner.
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Despite originally missing out on South Africa’s 33-man World Cup squad, Pollard was called up as a replacement for injured hooker Malcolm Marx, and is now expected by many to start ahead of Manie Libbok going forward. Mehrtens believes this was the plan all along by Nienaber and Erasmus, but they have also been given the opportunity to send a shot across the bows of a player “who has got comfortable in his position”.
“I wondered if it was just masterful coaching,” the 50-year-old said. “You know at a World Cup you are going to have injuries and you are going to be able to replace players. Did they know? We have seen it with New Zealand as well, they have brought in Ethan Blackadder. You know there is going to be some attrition on the way through. Maybe you’ve got a senior guy who has got comfortable in his position and he gets a bit of a jab, doesn’t get picked but he is going to turn up at the business end of the competition, maybe it was that.
“Libbok is a fantastic and exciting player. Pollard is just awesome, already a World Cup winner, proven success.”
The fact that a hooker was replaced by a fly-half, leaving them threadbare in the No2 department, suggests there is some veracity to what Mehrtens is saying. Then again, this plan may have all been reactionary after South Africa’s kicking struggles in their loss to Ireland at the Stade de France.
Former Scotland No8 Johnnie Beattie and 2019 World Cup winner Schalk Brits joined the podcast as well, where they gave their takes on who will start out of the two fly-halves for South Africa.
“I’ll make a prediction,” the former Saracen said. “They will start with Pollard, they’ll go with a six-two split and they will put Manie on the bench. The backline moves better with Libook there, he brings some x-factor to that team. Maybe the six-two split is a better combination for us.”
Beattie added: “Libbok has been phenomenal in the URC with his franchise in South Africa but if you’re ticking under 80 per cent on your top-level goalkicker you’re leaving 11 points out there against Ireland. You take those points, you win the game. I fully expect Pollard to be their starter.”
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Boks will be back to back winners
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Additional persons
Any additional person who fails to adhere to the Laws may be cautioned or sent off and misconduct charges may be issued by the Match organiser.
Appropriately trained and accredited first-aid or immediate (pitch-side) care persons may enter the playing area to attend to injured players at any time it is safe to do so.
There may be up to two medics, one on either side of the pitch, who may follow play.
These medics can only carry and provide water to a player that they are treating.
Medics cannot field, or touch a ball while it is in live play.
Sanction: Penalty where play would restart.
And now the cunning duo have brought in top centre L. Am.
Said it all along - Pollard was always going to come back in once he was fully fit. The boks took a risk by predicting that someone was going to go home injured during the pool stages.
Am was a surprise - but there hadn’t been much news about his recovery. And his match fitness. But again this is (albeit risky) smart use of the 33 places available. Will we see Lood return later in the tournament?
No doubt there was a calmness brought by Pollard that had not been there before -- this year
What if's are built on Delusion. It's a reality that a try is worth 7 points. When South Africa score a try that's 7 points of value, without any what ifs - when you miss the kick, you are simply playing with handicap. Likewise if you force a penalty and you miss - you are playing with handicap. It's foolish to think that if South Africa converted a try, the game would have been played differently. The tries and the penalties come out of the structure of the game - if you miss kicks, you are playing under handicap
And now Am, our backline is coming together, Pollard have to start, there was a calmness attitude in the team while Pollard was on.
"if you’re ticking under 80 per cent on your top-level goalkicker you’re leaving 11 points out there against Ireland. You take those points, you win the game"
Yet again, with feeling.
South Africa would have still lost to Ireland had they kicked ALL their penalties: DeKlerks post strike goes over but eliminates the SA try. They score the Libbok pen and the other long range DeKerk pen=9points.
Final score 15-14 to Ireland. SA still lose. Now can we add those kickable penalties that Ireland kicked to the corner with no reward? No?