Springbok loose forward Kwagga Smith scores against the All Blacks. Photo: @BokRugby via Twitter.
Springbok boss on controversial 7-1 bench split: ‘It gave us a taste’
How and WHY the Springboks have yet again drawn the ire of the rugby world in the wake of their stunning win over the All Blacks.
Springbok loose forward Kwagga Smith scores against the All Blacks. Photo: @BokRugby via Twitter.
A lot has been said about the Springboks’ surprise move to field a 7-1 bench split in favour of the forwards against the All Blacks on Friday and coach Jacques Nienaber has now come out to defend that decision.
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REINVENTING THE GAME WITHIN THE LAWS
The Springboks basically changed the game in 2019 when they first fielded an unconventional, and at the time controversial, 6-2 bench split at the Rugby World Cup in Japan. It was a decision that unlocked a lot of criticism from far and wide, with many believing it gave the South Africans an unfair advantage.
Despite the criticism, and to an extent abuse, hurled at them, the Springboks persisted with their ‘Bomb Squad’ tactic and it bore fruit as they went on to be crowned world champions.
Now, four years later, and the Springboks’ brains trust Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus are at it again. They’ve now went a step further and invented a 7-1 bench, featuring sevens forwards and just one backline player. It allowed the Springboks to basically swapped out their entire pack of forwards just after half-time against the tiring Al Blacks.
SPRINGBOKS DIDN’T PLAN LATEST BENCH INVENTION
In explaining the decision post-game, Nienaber explained it wasn’t something that they necessarily pre-planned. They were forced to make a high-risk call when Willie le Roux pulled up with an injury before the Test and simply opted to add another forward in his place because they didn’t want to risk any of the backline players against the All Blacks.
“It was an unfortunate incident and we didn’t want to risk Willie,” the Springbok boss said. “With the way games have been playing out, there are times when your forwards have to play in the backline, and this offered us the same option.
“It gave us a taste of how to manage things if we perhaps get an injury in a match. Obviously, the least risk would be selecting a five-three split, and a six-two split holds a little more risk, and then a seven-one split is the most-high risk.”
The Springboks will depart for a week-long training in Corsica on Saturday and will arrive at their Rugby World Cup base in Toulon on Sunday, 3 September.
