In a surprising twist at Ellis Park, the Springboks squandered a hefty lead in their Rugby Championship kickoff against the Wallabies, prompting rugby sage Victor Matfield to question the squad selection, particularly the absence of Handre Pollard from the bench. Coach Rassie Erasmus chose Manie Libbok as the starting flyhalf, leaving no specialist backup for the position, a decision that may have cost them dearly in their 38-22 defeat — marking their first loss to Australia at this venue since the days of black-and-white TV.
Matfield, airing his views on the Rivals podcast, didn't mince words about the team's overconfident approach after building a commanding 22-0 lead. "In that first half, the Springboks' play was wider than the grin on a winning lotto ticket holder. We looked unstoppable, scoring at will," he recalled. Yet, the tide turned dramatically as the game progressed.
"We played way too much rugby after we were 22-0 up. We didn’t have to play rugby – we could have just kicked it in behind them."
According to Matfield, the Boks' strategy gave the Wallabies unnecessary opportunities to claw back into the game.Furthermore, Matfield criticized the impact of the South African bench, noting that the Australian substitutes outperformed their South African counterparts significantly. "Some of the guys coming on now don't have the experience yet to be a good influence," he explained, highlighting a lack of game management from the Bok halfbacks as a critical weakness.
The absence of Pollard was particularly puzzling for Matfield, given the flyhalf's proven track record in high-stakes matches.
"You’ve got Handre Pollard in your squad. How do you not have a guy that’s won you two World Cups, at least on the bench?"
He lamented the decision to keep Pollard sidelined, especially when Libbok, despite a brilliant first half, faltered under pressure. "We were 22-12 up, in between the two 10m lines. You don’t have to play rugby there, just kick it in behind them," he advised, suggesting a more conservative approach could have sealed the game for the Boks.Matfield also dismissed any pre-match assurances about the depth of the South African squad, arguing the necessity of fielding top-tier players in significant matches. "We’re not so far ahead of everyone else that we can take these chances in big Test matches – we need our best players out there as well," he concluded, marking the match as a wake-up call for the team and perhaps, a rethink in strategy and selection moving forward.