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Springboks latest: Wayward Pollard, injured Kolbe, creaking scrum

(Photo by Grant Pitcher/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Springboks assistant coach Deon Davids has provided a wide-ranging squad update following last Sunday’s dramatic last-gasp Rugby Championship loss to Australia on the Gold Coast, jumping from Handre Pollard to Cheslin Kolbe and onto the set-piece.

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The world champions have since relocated to Brisbane ahead of Saturday’s rematch versus the Wallabies and their team announcement is expected at 11am (SAT) on Wednesday. Ahead of that big reveal, assistant Davids fronted the media virtually on Tuesday and was pressed on how Pollard has reacted to his inaccuracy off the tee, what the current status is of Kolbe’s injury, and what the consensus is on the problems the Springboks encountered at the scrum.

In a match the Springboks lost narrowly 28-26 to a late Quade Cooper penalty, the inaccuracy of Pollard off the tee in missing two penalties and a conversion has been a hot topic in the fallout from what was the first away from home Test match played by the Springboks since their November 2019 World Cup final win over England in Japan.

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How the Springboks can bounce back

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How the Springboks can bounce back

Asked what the reflections have been on a rare day where Pollard let the team down with his striking, Davids replied: “That is an area that we obviously did discuss and looked at but Handre Pollard is a professional rugby player, he is a quality individual on and off the field. He is the first guy who will say he didn’t perform, he wasn’t on song with his kicking game. 

“But we know what he can do and know he is a guy that takes pride in the way he does things. We are confident he will correct that and will work hard in order to improve in that specific area. We will look at it collectively in terms of using the squad and what the challenges are going forward and we will make a decision accordingly.”

Kolbe, a first-choice winger, wasn’t involved in the round three loss having been sidelined with a leg injury since the mid-August win over Argentina in Port Elizabeth, but whether he will be available for selection to take on the Wallabies next Saturday in round four wasn’t conclusive. “We travelled Monday and today [Tuesday] had extensive meetings where we discussed the key areas of our game and had a walk-through. All the players, all the guys with niggles, were involved in terms of that. Tomorrow [Wednesday] we will hit the field running and have clarity on the injuries. All the niggles are being assessed and when we hit the field we will know exactly where we stand.”

Switching to the scrum, an area of the game that the Springboks greatly prides itself on, some problems were encountered in a match refereed by England’s Luke Pearce and with another English official, Matthew Carley, set to take charge in Brisbane, steps have been taken to ensure there are no repeat frustrations at the set-piece. “Set-piece is a very important part of our game,” admitted Davids. 

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“Talking about scrums, it’s an area that is really difficult to officiate and the important thing for us looking back is we just need to make sure there is alignment between the pictures that we see as coaches and the pictures that the referees have seen. Going forward, we understand how we need to interpret and the areas we need to work on. 

“The calls can go any way but it is competitive and I feel for the referees and the players in terms of the calls they have to make and also in terms of the reward that is expected in the specific areas. Looking back at today we had clear discussions in terms of that. There were also discussions with the referee in terms of the interpretation and going forward we will have a better understanding in terms of what we need to do to make sure we get rewarded.”

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R
RedWarrior 10 minutes ago
Three-way race to be number one in World Rugby men's rankings

IF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.


As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.


Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).

This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.

If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.

Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.

After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.

Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.


Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)

Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.

Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.


Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.


Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:


Seeding Band 1

IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG

Seeding Band 2

SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: FIJI

1/8 final opponent GEORGIA

Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond


Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6

Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA

1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND

Prognosis: You know the prognosis


I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?


Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.

1 Go to comments
G
GS 1 hour ago
Are the All Blacks doomed to a 70% flatline?

The key is realising this AB side is not what they are now but what they will be in 2025/26.


You can already see a Power bench forming, and I would highlight that people watch the AB XV game vs Munster and watch Fabian Holland - he, in the next 24 months, will be WC and bring some huge physicality to the team.


Then, aligned with Peter Lakai, probably at 7, another WC talent, the AB pack by 2026 will probably both be starting and on the bench - be rated as No 1 or 2 packs in the world.


Then, there is the usual WC talent around the backline, and the missing link is Mo'unga. Unlike in last year's WC, the coming forward pack for the ABs, is similar to the Bok pack, It will be packed full of power, and the key to this is a realitively young pack.


So I think we will lose to Ireland and France in the coming weeks, but watch out as this pack builds into - I mean, look at the tight five and loose forwards that are coming for the ABs - De Groot, Lomax, Williams, Tosi, Taylor, Ofa T, Samson T, Aumua, Patrick T, Barrett, Vai, Fabian H, Setiti, Lakai, Savea, Frizzell (understand they are attempting to get him and Mo'unga back), Blackadder, Papalii and bar Barrett, Savea, Patrick T, Taylor - pretty young in international terms.


Huge front row starting and on bench, Power locks and usual class in loose forwards - only missing ingredient is a WC 10 and with Mo'unga back probably in 2026, these ABs are trending in a very healthy direction.

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