VIDEO: Big eye opener for 'perplexed' Springbok coach
REACTION: Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber apologised to the team’s stunned support based over yet another shocking performance in Australia.
Nienaber, describing it as the worst performance since they lost Argentina in Mendoza in 2018, was at a loss for words to explain the abject failure of his team in their 17-30 loss to the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday.
It came six days after the heartbreaking 26-28 loss to the Wallabies on the Gold Coast.
The Bok coach admitted there were “no positives” from the Brisbane shocker and he “could not put his finger on the reasons” for the implosion.
He described the game as a “big eye-opener” ahead of next’s historical clash with New Zealand in Townsville next week.
“It is going to be a massive challenge,” he said of the encounter with the All Blacks – who reclaimed the No.1 ranking in the world with a 36-13 demolition of Argentina.
Nienaber offered no excuses for a performance that saw his team miss 19 of their 69 tackles – a success rate of barely 70 percent.
“We were truly beaten in every department and beaten hands down,” said a disappointed Nienaber, adding that the Wallabies were superior in the kicking game, defence and attack.
“We just made too many errors in every aspect of our game.”
He admitted they have very little time to figure out what went wrong.
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“Things don’t get any easier in the next two weeks,” he said of back-to-back games against the All Blacks – in Townsville next Saturday, September 25, and the Gold Coast a week later.
He said it is “nice” to play against Southern Hemisphere opposition again.
“In the Rugby Championship, you get tested differently by each opponent and we came up short against Australia,” the Boks coach said.
“Next week will be another massive, but different challenge and we will have to try and turn things around.
“Win or lose, we have a review process anyway, and that will be done again.”
Nienaber admitted they were “not up to standard” and owed their supporters an apology.
Captain Siyamthanda Kolisi also could not explain why they failed so miserably.
“I would not say our plan is not working,” he said, adding: “It is just the execution of such that was very poor and should be implemented better.”
He pointed to their poor defence – something they pride themselves on – as an example of how they failed to execute the game plan.
“We love the physicality.
“However, they [Australia] just overpowered us.
“However, when you start failing at the things you are normally good at, we have to go look at ourselves.
“We need to take responsibility for this performance. It was just not good enough.
“Training went very well this week, but our error rate was just too high.
“Too many players were making mistakes.
“We have to be better and pull tighter.”
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