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The 'quite honest' warning the Springboks have issued to the world

(Photo by Chris Ricco/Getty Images)

It doesn’t look polished on paper for Jacques Nienaber, his Springboks only winning seven of their twelve matches this calendar year with one fixture remaining – this Saturday’s encounter away to England in London. The July home series versus Wales was only clinched 2-1, they were only good enough for second place in The Rugby Championship after winning four of their half-dozen matches, while their Autumn Nations Series tour began with two losses before Italy were beaten last Saturday.

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Think Nienaber is worried? Think again. The Springboks head coach is showing no signs of anxiety that his team is currently running at only a 58 per cent success rate for 2022 compared to, say, World Cup hosts France, who are 100 per cent with ten wins, and RWC pool opponents Ireland, who are 81 per cent with nine wins from eleven.

The Nienaber message coming out of London in the lead-up to the final Springboks game of this year was that they are nearly ready to capably defend their World Cup title in ten months’ time, a campaign that will feature a seminal group clash with the Irish in Paris before a likely quarter-final meeting with either the French or the All Blacks, again in Paris.

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“People want to know that we are getting answers but that is the thing on this tour and especially this game (with England) where we play this Test match out of the (player release) window – and the SA A games, we wanted to see certain players play with a Springbok on their chest,” began Nienaber when quizzed whether this Autumn Nations Series tour had ticked the boxes the Springboks wanted to tick.

“Although it is against clubs, you play for your country so it is a little more pressure and we wanted some answers on certain players and we got some answers on certain players, and the same on Saturday.

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“We always want to improve and develop and build our game in all the aspects and we are trying stuff just like all the other teams are trying. If you look at it, although we had two narrow losses against the No1 and No2 teams in the world away from home (Ireland and France), I have to be quite honest, we internally know that we are not far off being contenders for the World Cup next year and the world knows that we are not far off.

“We are still building and we are still trying to get some results and get some answers in certain aspects but we certainly believe and know we are not far off being contenders and I think the world knows that as well.”

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4 Comments
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AlexH 709 days ago

Manie Lubbock put his hand up today in a pressure cooker when Willie was subbed. First time in my memory that I think the Bok backs are on a par with the forwards. Really balanced team. So much depth at wing - Kolbe, Mpimpi, Moodie, Aarendse… Eish. Can’t wait to see PSDT, Pollard, RG Snyman, Am and Lood back in the mix. Think there is decent cover for those all except 13. Libbok / Pollard 10, WLR/ Willemse 15. We do need a legit kicker.

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Flankly 712 days ago

An intensity-based pressure game will tend to improve for the big occasions. Additionally we know that Rassie works backwards from his goals, so there has to be an plan to peak at the RWC. In that context one-score losing differentials against top teams are broadly on-track, at this stage. The stated goal this year was squad development, and you would have to give them credit for building a decent depth chart this year, at almost every position. IMV Jacques should be most concerned about the depth at #10, #13 and #15. In those positions the second and third choices are solid, but the Bok attack loses its edge without Pollard, Am and/or Le Roux.

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Nickers 27 minutes ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

I thought we made a lot of progress against that type of defence by the WC last year. Lots of direct running and punching holes rather than using width. Against that type of defence I think you have to be looking to kick on first phase when you have front foot ball which we did relatively successfully. We are playing a lot of rugby behind the gain line at the moment. They are looking for those little interchanges for soft shoulders and fast ball or off loads but it regularly turns into them battering away with slow ball and going backwards, then putting in a very rushed kick under huge pressure.


JB brought that dimension when he first moved into 12 a couple of years ago but he's definitely not been at his best this year. I don't know if it is because he is being asked to play a narrow role, or carrying a niggle or two, but he does not look confident to me. He had that clean break on the weekend and stood there like he was a prop who found himself in open space and didn't know what to do with the ball. He is still a good first phase ball carrier though, they use him a lot off the line out to set up fast clean ball, but I don't think anyone is particularly clear on what they are supposed to do at that point. He was used really successfully as a second playmaker last year but I don't think he's been at that role once this year. He is a triple threat player but playing a very 1 dimensional role at the moment. He and Reiko have been absolutely rock solid on defence which is why I don't think there will be too much experimentation or changes there.

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