VIDEO: All Blacks' Easy Company to 'take the gas out' of Boks' Bomb Squad
New Zealand suggested there is a way of ‘defusing’ the impact of South Africa’s famed replacement bench.
The self-titled ‘Bomb Squad’ first earned their reputation through the damage they did on the Springboks’ way to a third World Cup title in Japan in 2019.
Now, four years and many variations later, the Bok bench’s reputation has become a subject of legend and lore.
Those replacements have all too often performed so impressively that there are suggestions they should perhaps be starting.
The Bomb Squad – at times in this World Cup also called the ‘Nuke Squad’ – proved crucial in South Africa’s quarterfinal (29-28 over France) and semifinal (16-15 World over England) wins.
Those results set up the Springboks for a historic World Cup Final face-off with arch-rivals New Zealand at the Stade de France in Paris on Saturday.
It has become customary for the media to ask whoever comes up in front of them, how they plan to deal with the Bomb Squad.
All Black forwards coach Jason Ryan suggested they ‘take some gas out’.
Flank Dalton Papali’i has his own remedy for the problem.
Papali’i said he was part of a group of players who had started watching the miniseries ‘Band of Brothers’ in the team room.
The series is based on the World War II activities of the Easy Company of the US Army’s 2nd Battalion of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, the “Screaming Eagles”.
(WATCH as the All Blacks talk about ‘taking the gas out’ of the Boks’ bomb squad in the World Cup Final…)
“I’ll tell you a quick story,” the flank said to chuckles of a media pack that knows him for his humorous quips.
“I’ve got a little group happening in the team room at our hotel and we’re watching Band of Brothers and the 101st Airborne and their Easy Company.
“So, I made a little joke saying ‘you know they’ve got the ‘Bomb Squad’, so we could have the ‘Easy Company’.
“We want to go and finish the job and be in the trenches.”
He admitted it is easier said than done.
“Talking about the Bomb Squad, man they’ve proven themselves,” Papali’i said.
“They can come on and change a game like that.
“So, we sort of need to identify whoever is on the bench and that, needs to really be screwed on up top and give it hell.”
Ryan said it would be good to ‘take some gas out’ of the Bok bomb.
“They have got their DNA as a forward pack,” the coach said.
“We’ve got trust in our plan this week and we believe we will be able to be there right until the end.”
He dismissed the suggestion that too is being made of the impact of the ‘Bomb Squad’.
“No, they are just playing to their strengths.
“It’s a big part of what they do.
“It’s worked for them.
“We’ve got a good plan.
“The referees will make their decision on what they see.
“Those pictures have got to be clear, especially in big moments.”
Ryan acknowledged that the Springbok set-piece is phenomenal.
“They are a big team.
“They have got a really clear identity of the way they want to play and they’ve got good bits of variation of how they use the ball.
“This contest is going to be a title fight,” said Ryan.
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* Additional reporting by AFP
