Wasteful Boks must address second-half slump

OPINION: The Springboks’ blunt and brainless performance against the All Blacks at Ellis Park contrasted the problem-solving displays that have become a trademark in recent seasons.

Last month, I praised the Boks for dismantling England at Ellis Park.

While that performance was far from polished, the Boks showed their ability to problem-solve over the course of a tricky contest and eventually emerged with a convincing 45-21 victory.

How many times have the Boks come through in the clutch over the past eight years?

Despite trailing at half-time in many of the marquee fixtures, they have found a way to control the contest and win the match via a dominant display in the second stanza.

Many may have forgotten how the Boks trailed 7-10 at the break in Wellington last year. After a commanding second-half performance, they romped to a record-breaking 43-10 victory.

It’s important to reflect on South Africa’s big wins and performances in recent seasons when assessing the display against the All Blacks this past Saturday.

The fact of the matter is that the Boks failed to live up to their own standards at Ellis Park.

In many ways, it was one of the most disappointing and uncharacteristic displays of the Rassie Erasmus era.

Erasmus and coaches will be looking at the stats and wondering how the Boks lost 16-33 – and how they were outscored by five tries to one.

The South African scrum lived up to the hype, winning five penalties on the back of a dominant display in the first 50-odd minutes.

The maul was fiercely contested, but the Boks forced two penalties in this era.

That dominance amounted to a surfeit of territory, and yet, the Boks only managed to convert two of their 10 visits to the All Blacks 22 into points.

Those numbers are unacceptable, and in the buildup to the second Test in Cape Town, Erasmus may be asking his charges how a team can force seven penalties at the set-piece and lose the game.

Indeed, it may be worth asking how a team can dominate to such an extent and lose by a 17-point margin.

The 16-33 result marks the Boks’ heaviest defeat in the Erasmus era.

The 3-21 capitulation in the second stanza is another low point for a team that prides itself on late surges.

The Boks were certainly disrupted by the early injury to Kurt-Lee Arendse, which forced replacement André Esterhuizen to play in the backline instead of the forwards, a move that scuppered pre-match plans.

That said, Erasmus more than any other coach will know that the best teams adapt in these situations and find a way to win.

As the scoreline suggests, the Boks found a way to lose – and in humiliating fashion.

The Boks dropped off in the second half instead of moving into high gear, and at no point did they show the intelligence and the grit needed to overcome the All Blacks’ rush defence.

Afterwards, All Blacks coach Dave Rennie suggested that the contest was close and pointed out that the teams finished with similar stats.

While there wasn’t much between the sides in the key departments, the All Blacks kicked slightly more (19 to 17), while the Boks carried more (96 to 86) and made more post-contact metres (298m to 197m).

The wasteful Boks conceded a whopping 23 turnovers. The All Blacks were more clinical with ball in hand, especially in the opposition 22, where they converted five of their eight entries into points.

New Zealand’s defensive effort around the 50-minute mark will go down in history as one of the most impressive passages of play in this storied rivalry.

The All Blacks held their nerve in the face of a relentless Bok assault, and after the South Africans forced yet another penalty and called for the umpteenth scrum reset, the visitors proceeded to attack newcomer Gerhard Steenekamp.

From there, they won a scrum penalty of their own, and exited their 22.

While it was a massive turning point in the game, those who have observed the Boks during this golden era might be wondering whether it was the defining moment, and whether the South Africans could have done more to regain the initiative.

The All Blacks held a slender three-point lead at that stage, and there was still some 25 minutes to play.

In the context of what we’ve seen from Erasmus’ charges in recent seasons, 25 minutes is an eternity.

How many times have the Boks shifted gear following the introduction of the Bomb Squad, piling on the points in the final quarter to transform a close contest into a landslide victory?

On Saturday, it was the All Blacks who seized control and turned a tight game into a rout.

New Zealand’s younger players answered a lot of questions in what was a crucial clash in enemy territory.

Following a limp second-half performance, the Boks will now face questions about their determination and composure.

The Boks grew increasingly desperate in the closing stages, and the two yellow cards were the result of last-gasp interventions on their own tryline.

The All Blacks scored a whopping five tries on the day, but the reality is they could have scored more.

It’s for this reason why the Bok defence, as well as the attack, will have some soul-searching to do ahead of the second clash in Cape Town.

One cannot help but draw parallels between the heavy defeat to the All Blacks on Saturday and last year’s capitulation against Australia.

Both matches were staged at Ellis Park, and in both instances, the Boks were uncharacteristically wasteful over the course of the contest and completely outplayed in the second half.

It’s worth remembering, of course, how the Boks beat Australia in the subsequent match in Cape Town.

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After the defeat at Eden Park, the Boks went on to claim a series of big victories against the world’s leading teams, and win 12 Tests in a row.

The recent result against the All Blacks may be disappointing, but the Boks haven’t become a poor team overnight.

They still have what it takes to beat the All Blacks and revive their hopes of winning the series.

Their scrum won’t get any weaker – and overall, they have the depth to outlast the All Blacks over the course of a four-game epic.

Rennie may have another trick up his sleeve, but the Boks will be prepared for the All Blacks’ disruptive tactics in Cape Town and beyond.

While they used the kick-chase tactic sparingly at Ellis Park, they did manage to retrieve a few high balls – and it wouldn’t come as a surprise to see them doubling down on this strategy in the following Tests.

Overall, they should invest in an approach that frustrates and nullifies the All Blacks’ strengths, and they should face up to the fact that they are one loss away from blowing their shot at a rare series victory.

Erasmus and his coaches have much to rectify, just as they did after the loss to Australia last year and in the wake of defeat at Eden Park.

The Boks have a record of finding solutions and bouncing back, but so much will depend on the grit and decision-making of the players in the remaining three Tests.