The Springboks will be under pressure to adapt to the referee and the Argentinian breakdown challenge from the outset in Salta on Saturday, writes JON CARDINELLI.
The Springboks got a lot right in the recent match against Argentina in Port Elizabeth. The scrum was dominant and the lineout execution, at least on their own feed, was flawless.
That said, there were times in the match, especially during the first half, when the Boks failed to translate that set-piece dominance into gainline and breakdown supremacy. Decision-making rather than discipline was an issue, as the Boks battled to adjust to the French referee Romain Poite’s interpretation of the tackle laws.
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As coach Allister Coetzee admitted afterwards, a tactical shift was required after half-time. The Springboks played a smarter territorial game, as seen by the stats which show that the hosts kicked more than the Pumas, and indeed more than any of the Rugby Championship teams in round one. They competed well at the breakdown and ensured that the likes of Pumas skipper Agustin Creevy enjoyed fewer chances to spoil and steal.
Northern hemisphere referees have a reputation for allowing a greater contest at the breakdown. According to the stats on alloutrugby.com, Poite awarded just two penalties at the ruck in Port Elizabeth.
Poite’s countryman Pascal Gauzere will take charge of the clash between the Pumas and Boks in Salta. Once again, the Boks will need to make adjustments to their breakdown approach. Gauzere is likely to allow a contest, and the Pumas are likely to attack the Boks in that area in an attempt to stall the visitors’ momentum.
The Pumas are always a better side in Argentina. Since the advent of the Rugby Championship in 2012, the Pumas have lost three, drawn one, and won one against the Boks in Argentina.
The Springboks beat Argentina 26-12 in Buenos Aires in 2015. The winning margin in the other four clashes was five points or fewer.
The Springboks were more street smart in the second half in Port Elizabeth. They should be looking to build on that sharp yet aggressive breakdown display ahead of what should be a sterner examination of the all-round abilities in Salta.
The defence will certainly need to be more accurate. The Boks never wanted for aggression, as the stat of 23 dominant tackles suggests. However, the Boks missed 28 tackles over the course of the game and finished with a mediocre tackle completion of 86%.
Photo: @Springboks
