There’s an uneasiness about the Springboks heading into the “afterthought” Test in Argentina, after a disappointing Rugby Championship, writes MARK KEOHANE.
The dust has settled on the southern hemisphere tournament for 2023, with the world champions finishing in second place following home wins over Australia and Argentina in between a loss to the All Blacks in Auckland.
South Africa kicked off the year with a mauling of the Wallabies, but were brought crashing down to earth in New Zealand, and then made to sweat for a one-point victory against Los Pumas at Ellis Park.
A heavily-rotated team tackles Michael Cheika’s men on Saturday – the first of three warm-up matches for SA – but writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane raised an eyebrow at how easily the Bok management has dismissed winning Tests in a World Cup year.
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“I’ve seen stronger Bok teams struggle in Argentina and the composition of the match 23 playing on Saturday has a ‘bits and pieces’ look,” he writes. “It looks like an afterthought to the Rugby Championship and a Test in which players will get international playing minutes.
“I felt 2019 was different when the Bok coaching leadership spoke of their desire to win the Rugby Championship, despite playing just one of the three matches at home.
“I have had such belief in this group of Bok players and their coaching staff, but in the past year they have not produced consistent performances to match this belief.
“Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber, as a coaching combination, have won a World Cup, a Rugby Championship title, a British & Irish Lions series and they’ve won at Twickenham and in Wellington, New Zealand.
“But in between the highs there have been enough lows to turn conviction of their ability into a state of confusion that they are now a squad capable of one big match result, but not necessarily three in succession which is what is needed in the World Cup playoffs.”
Does weekly disappointment outweigh the long-term goal of winning the World Cup? @mark_keohane and Zels discuss. pic.twitter.com/Gs3HAsAP2H
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) August 3, 2023
Photo: Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix