What an exciting game to watch.
No, teams are not condemned to play a slow tempo plowing game, riddled with clock eating strategies to beat NZ. A high tempo, dynamic play works to the effect. A full game players played their hearts out, without thinking to play the fewer minutes possible.
No, forward based rugby does not mean stalling the game in the middle of the field hoping to beg a penalty from the referee. It may mean high pressure, close to the goal line, delivering emotional sequences of defense offense plays.
No, relying on the reffing to beat the NZ is not the only working strategy. Refereeing in rugby comes with its own issues. Nevertheless, outcomes of a game might be made by referees as teams forced them to step forward in order to deliver game actions. Or referees may step back, leaving teams to express their rugby game plan and intervene the least possible.
These are a few lessons taken from the last game, all debunking SA rugby propaganda.
Another major lesson: emulation of the play styles. While both IR and NZ play different styles, they synergized to deliver an astounding spectacle. There was no negation of the rugby game. Which means that other teams can take from each team style without fearing to degrade the game.
Nothing to compare with a game involving SA rugby. Fans put up with SA lack of rugby due to their dark political past. No rugby fans want the other team to bring the same absence of rugby to the table and everyone hopes in fact that the other team will be good enough to lift up the level of the game.
