Going into the Springboks versus Pumas match I was a relatively happy man. The Springboks’ record was held intact through the draw between the All Blacks and the Wallabies, Western Province demolished traditional rivals the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup and I won a few beers free of charge at the local liquor store.
So the beers were set, my Springboks jersey was on and the day was going good. Then came the time for the Pumas game.
From the first minute I knew that this was going to be the worst game I had ever witnessed.
While singing the national anthems, a torrential rain enshrouded Loftus Versfeld followed by a baptism of hail that continued until about 10 minutes into the match. However, the rain never really stopped.
One could draw comparisons in the conditions between both games of this opening round of the Rugby Championship. One would be that the quality of the first game was so much better than that of the second. But another would be that the conditions of the second game were much, much worse.
What the weather did was ruin two good contests. Now we still have absolutely no idea where all four teams stand, what form they are in or who are favourites to win it. These conditions affect the entire dynamic of the game.
But while Australia, New Zealand and Argentina adapted to the situations well, South Africa did not. And this highlights the great flaw in South African Rugby. The lack of a contingency plan.
As strange as it might sound the Springboks went into this game with a bigger attacking mindset than the Tasman teams. Prior to the game the Boks had believed that the conditions would suit a running game. The forecast was clean, the team they had chosen was custom made for a fast game and what Heyneke Meyer had said since last week pointed to an open approach.
The selection of Handre Pollard and Damien de Allende was an attempt to attack. Meyer had said that he was looking to evolve the game his team plays from being physically dominant to being a more skillful unit. They intended to make this first game at altitude a beginning for this new game plan.
But the conditions ruined it and the Boks did not have a back up plan. This in itself requires a lot of thought. The Boks had always been known to be the most structured team in the world, with conditions like these suiting them handsomely.
How then, were they so terrible in this game?
What seems a trademark for South African rugby is the inability to adapt. Here they were trying to employ a more expansive, fast game when their traditional game would have secured victory much easier.
Around halftime the Boks then tried to revert back to their structured style, but they just couldn’t. Even Morne Steyn, who is the master of this style, just could not perform up to standard.
The Boks seem to be in a state of a one-track mind. When a certain pattern is practiced, this pattern is employed with no real backup plan. If it doesn’t work then you keep doing it until it does. When they see it just won’t work then they try to change. But this usually results in them performing much weaker than they did at first.
What Meyer’s men had to do was just do what they do best. Carry up at close range with their big forwards instead of trying to do so out wide. When the platform is laid then you use Steyn to kick for corners.
What the Boks did was kick aimlessly, but they did so because they were on the back foot. They tried to go wide in the beginning and when that didn’t work they tried to keep it structured and to almost no effect.
As furious as I am with this game I try my best to stay objective. The weather was atrocious and playing in that sort of environment is tough, not even the All Blacks nor the Wallabies could score a single try. Yes, the Pumas are a considerably weaker side but the All Blacks and Wallabies both struggled against them at home in tough conditions last year as well.
The quality rugby from South Africa was appalling and deserves all the criticism it receives. But just because they struggled in the storm does not mean they will suffer in dry conditions, and the same applies to their opponents.
You cannot judge the All Blacks’ form by this game and you cannot judge the Wallabies’ or the Springboks’. In the June tests these teams have show what they can do in dry conditions and hopefully we will see that again next weekend.
It was the worst Springboks game I have ever seen, and if they play like that again this season they will lose. Hard words must be spoken as the entire country senses a time of crisis.
