The terrifying trend that will bother Boks
The five matches, seen in isolation, are already a cause for alarm.
Add to that the terrifying trend that has developed as the All Blacks dismantled the Stormers, Sharks, Bulls, Springboks and Lions on Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry tour.
The Springboks, in fact most SA teams, pride themselves on their ability to squeeze the life out of the opposition.
However, it is the touring New Zealand team that finished stronger, including against the Boks on the Highveld.
There will be a reaction from Siya Kolisi (yes, he is captaining them this week) and his team in Cape Town this week.
The challenge is that Ardie Savea’s troops seem to have a belligerence and doggedness SA teams can’t live with.
That proverbial ‘slow poison’ that was a trademark of all teams in the Republic has been on full display in the All Black touring squad.
In the Durban blowout and Loftus licking, the Sharks and Bulls were never at the races.
The other SA teams looked to be in the contest for the first hour.
It was the last 20 that the Kiwis showed their true colours.
Stormers Director of Rugby John Dobson said his team ‘dared to dream’ with the score at 14-all on the hour mark.
However, a three-try blitz between the 67th and 76th minutes shattered those dreams in the opening match in Cape Town.
As said, the Sharks were never in the race, and the Bulls had an admirable 20 minutes early in the second half.
However, in those two games the All Blacks scored six tries (three in each game) in the last 20 minutes.
The Springboks dominated territory and possession in the opening Test at Ellis Park, leading 10-5 (after 20 minutes, 13-12 (at half-time) and trailing 16-19 on the hour mark.
Two tries, one either side of two Bok yellow cards, put the game to bed.
Both coaches, Rassie Erasmus and Dave Rennie, intimated that the final score doesn’t reflect just how tight the game was.
Yet, when the Boks’ heads dropped and they lost focus after a rare scrum penalty, the All Blacks put the hammer down and took the game away from their hosts.
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This past Tuesday, also at Ellis Park, the Lions looked on course for an upset.
If the Stormers dared to dream, the Lions were popping Champagne corks when leading 35-17 on the 50-minute mark.
However, the free-running home team found the All Blacks’ late charge too much, four tries allowing the All Blacks to keep their 100 percent record intact.
As with every coin, there are two sides.
The Kiwis, even when they are under the pump, seem to stay focused and calm.
Then they find a way, kick into overdrive and race clear.
The Springboks can’t afford to lose focus (drop their heads) when they face off against the All Blacks in the second Test in Cape Town this coming Saturday.
They will know now that the last 20 is where the visitors are at their most ruthless best.
Allowing calls by match officials to distract them will have the same dire consequences as it did on the Highveld last week.
@JanDKrugby
@rugby365com
