In the wake of a critical Rugby Championship match, former South African head coach Nick Mallett did not hold back his critique of Springboks backline players Aphelele Fassi and Canan Moodie. Despite South Africa's redemption win of 30-22 against the Wallabies in Cape Town, Mallett pointed out significant shortcomings in the performances of these two players, which could have cost the team dearly.
The Springboks entered the game under pressure, having previously suffered a stunning 38-22 defeat to Australia in Johannesburg, where the Wallabies staged a remarkable comeback. In the rematch, both teams scored three tries, yet it was the errors from Fassi and Moodie that caught Mallett's eye, overshadowing their contributions which included Moodie's early try in the 11th minute. However, his handling errors, one of which led directly to a Wallabies' try, saw him substituted in the 55th minute for Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu.
Fassi, brought in to replace an injured Willie le Roux, also disappointed, particularly when he kicked the ball directly into touch and later received a yellow card for a deliberate knockdown during a crucial Wallabies attack. These lapses in performance prompted Mallett to express his concerns on the 'Talking Boks' podcast, emphasizing the need for improvement from the duo.
"I don’t think Fassi had a great game, and I don’t think also that Canan Moodie had his best game on Saturday,"
Mallett further remarked on the pressure both players faced and the tactical errors made during the game. He stressed the importance of solid, error-free gameplay, reminiscent of more seasoned players like Cheslin Kolbe, Damian De Allende, and Handre Pollard, whose performances rarely dip.
"But the mark of a really good backline player is an error-free game. It’s not about how many brilliant moves you do. It’s being like Kolbe,"
As South Africa continues its campaign in the Rugby Championship, the focus will be on whether these younger players can adjust and rise to the occasion, learning from their mistakes to meet the high standards set by their more experienced teammates.