In the chilly showdown set for Cardiff this weekend, Nick Mallett has tossed out a word of caution to the Springboks: don't turn this into a track meet against a makeshift Welsh team. Rassie Erasmus, in a strategic shuffle, has rotated nine fresh faces into the squad following their triumph over Ireland, while Wales, heavily hit by the absence of 13 key players, limps in from a series of bruising defeats and a narrow escape against Japan.
Mallett, dissecting tactics on the "Talking Boks" podcast, reflected on past errors.
"We go back to our game at Ellis Park when we decided to run the Australians off their feet and we were run off our own feet. That’s exactly the sort of game they’re good at – transitions, capitalising on mistakes, interceptions."
He advised that instead of unleashing chaos, the Boks should tighten up and play to their strengths. "The way in which this Wales team plays looks to be a ball-in-hand type of game. They try to hold onto possession and win penalties that way. There’s going to be enthusiasm, courage and bravery there."
"But if the Boks stick to our usual template – dominate the set-pieces, put high balls up on their players, and don’t try to run them off their feet – we should be fine," Mallett added. The plan? "Force them into mistakes, build a 10- to 15-point lead, and then the opposition start playing from deep, it gets worse for them, and you can score off their mistakes as well as your own good play."
Amidst the talk of strategy, Mallett couldn't help but marvel at the physical stature of the Boks' backline for the upcoming test. "What is extraordinary is the size of our backline [for the Wales Test]," he remarked. "I don’t think there’s any guy under about 1.90m, maybe Damian Willemse and Cobus Reinach are slightly under. You’ve got Ethan Hooker, you’ve got Canan Moodie – all over 6’2, 6’3 – Damian de Allende is huge, Andre Esterhuizen is huge, and Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] is far bigger than people realize."
This ensemble of giants isn't just about size. Mallett highlighted their versatility, a factor that could prove crucial in Cardiff. "Both wings can play in the centres, the fullback can play at flyhalf and vice versa, the flyhalf can play fullback, the scrumhalf can play on the wing, we’ve got a centre who can go in and play flank if we have to. It’s an extraordinary group of players Rassie has developed, who have confidence playing in more than one position at international level – that’s the key."
As the Boks aim to cap off their tour undefeated, the game against Wales promises to be more than just a test of strength—it's a chess match, where every move counts.
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In the chilly showdown set for Cardiff this weekend, Nick Mallett has tossed out a word of caution to the Springboks: don't turn this into a track meet against a makeshift Welsh team. Rassie Erasmus, in a strategic shuffle, has rotated nine fresh faces into the squad following their triumph over Ireland, while Wales, heavily hit by the absence of 13 key players, limps in from a series of bruising defeats and a narrow escape against Japan.
Mallett, dissecting tactics on the "Talking Boks" podcast, reflected on past errors.
"We go back to our game at Ellis Park when we decided to run the Australians off their feet and we were run off our own feet. That’s exactly the sort of game they’re good at – transitions, capitalising on mistakes, interceptions."
He advised that instead of unleashing chaos, the Boks should tighten up and play to their strengths. "The way in which this Wales team plays looks to be a ball-in-hand type of game. They try to hold onto possession and win penalties that way. There’s going to be enthusiasm, courage and bravery there.""But if the Boks stick to our usual template – dominate the set-pieces, put high balls up on their players, and don’t try to run them off their feet – we should be fine," Mallett added. The plan? "Force them into mistakes, build a 10- to 15-point lead, and then the opposition start playing from deep, it gets worse for them, and you can score off their mistakes as well as your own good play."
Amidst the talk of strategy, Mallett couldn't help but marvel at the physical stature of the Boks' backline for the upcoming test. "What is extraordinary is the size of our backline [for the Wales Test]," he remarked. "I don’t think there’s any guy under about 1.90m, maybe Damian Willemse and Cobus Reinach are slightly under. You’ve got Ethan Hooker, you’ve got Canan Moodie – all over 6’2, 6’3 – Damian de Allende is huge, Andre Esterhuizen is huge, and Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] is far bigger than people realize."
This ensemble of giants isn't just about size. Mallett highlighted their versatility, a factor that could prove crucial in Cardiff. "Both wings can play in the centres, the fullback can play at flyhalf and vice versa, the flyhalf can play fullback, the scrumhalf can play on the wing, we’ve got a centre who can go in and play flank if we have to. It’s an extraordinary group of players Rassie has developed, who have confidence playing in more than one position at international level – that’s the key."
As the Boks aim to cap off their tour undefeated, the game against Wales promises to be more than just a test of strength—it's a chess match, where every move counts.