Eddie Jones, the former Wallabies head coach, has thrown a spotlight on the Springboks' performance at Ellis Park, suggesting that the vibrant, festival-like atmosphere may have dazzled the team into adopting an ill-suited expansive playstyle against the Australians. According to Jones, this tactical misstep was compounded by a lack of experience within the South African backline, leading to a staggering 38 unanswered points being racked up by the Wallabies after the initial 20 minutes of play.
While discussing the match on the Rugby Unity podcast, Jones pointed out the cohesion and maturity in the Australian squad, which he attributed to their steady leadership and accumulated experience under coach Joe Schmidt. "Australia are now in their second year under Joe [Schmidt], and they’ve accumulated some experience. Wilson’s been captain for a while now. They’ve got some solid senior players like Skelton," Jones explained.
"They just kept calm. The bad thing is to panic a little bit and chase the game. They didn’t chase the game. They stayed at it,"
Jones noted, contrasting this with the Springboks' premature burnout and subsequent frantic gameplay.
Jones further criticized the Springboks for losing their composure and chasing the game, a strategy deviation that is not typical for the usually strategic South African team. "South Africa probably wanted to play like that first 20, but the game of rugby is so intense now, it’s hard to play with that speed for longer than 20 minutes," he said.
The match's atmosphere at Ellis Park also came under Jones’s scrutiny. He remarked on the unusual choice of music and overall ambiance, which he felt played into the hands of the Wallabies' more relaxed style of play. "It’s the first time I’ve ever heard La Bamba played at Ellis Park. So it was almost like the marketing had grabbed the game, and it was this fun festival atmosphere," he observed.
The game's dynamics were notably influenced by the referee’s strict officiating, which Jones mentioned affected the momentum of the Springboks. "South Africa got pulled up for one from the side early, which most referees would probably let go. He didn’t let go, and then that becomes a turnover and changes the game to some extent," he elaborated.
As the teams prepare for their next encounters, the lessons from Ellis Park will undoubtedly resonate in the strategies and mindsets of both squads.
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Eddie Jones, the former Wallabies head coach, has thrown a spotlight on the Springboks' performance at Ellis Park, suggesting that the vibrant, festival-like atmosphere may have dazzled the team into adopting an ill-suited expansive playstyle against the Australians. According to Jones, this tactical misstep was compounded by a lack of experience within the South African backline, leading to a staggering 38 unanswered points being racked up by the Wallabies after the initial 20 minutes of play.
While discussing the match on the Rugby Unity podcast, Jones pointed out the cohesion and maturity in the Australian squad, which he attributed to their steady leadership and accumulated experience under coach Joe Schmidt. "Australia are now in their second year under Joe [Schmidt], and they’ve accumulated some experience. Wilson’s been captain for a while now. They’ve got some solid senior players like Skelton," Jones explained.
"They just kept calm. The bad thing is to panic a little bit and chase the game. They didn’t chase the game. They stayed at it,"
Jones noted, contrasting this with the Springboks' premature burnout and subsequent frantic gameplay.Jones further criticized the Springboks for losing their composure and chasing the game, a strategy deviation that is not typical for the usually strategic South African team. "South Africa probably wanted to play like that first 20, but the game of rugby is so intense now, it’s hard to play with that speed for longer than 20 minutes," he said.
The match's atmosphere at Ellis Park also came under Jones’s scrutiny. He remarked on the unusual choice of music and overall ambiance, which he felt played into the hands of the Wallabies' more relaxed style of play. "It’s the first time I’ve ever heard La Bamba played at Ellis Park. So it was almost like the marketing had grabbed the game, and it was this fun festival atmosphere," he observed.
The game's dynamics were notably influenced by the referee’s strict officiating, which Jones mentioned affected the momentum of the Springboks. "South Africa got pulled up for one from the side early, which most referees would probably let go. He didn’t let go, and then that becomes a turnover and changes the game to some extent," he elaborated.
As the teams prepare for their next encounters, the lessons from Ellis Park will undoubtedly resonate in the strategies and mindsets of both squads.