Stormers' implosion won't deter Boks' Bomb Squad strategy
OPINION: The Stormers’ six-two bench split backfiring against the All Blacks in their 21-38 defeat at DHL Stadium isn’t a fate that’s likely to befall the Springboks.
Going into last Friday’s Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series-opener, Stormers coach John Dobson named six forwards on his replacements bench, with Dewaldt Duvenage and Wandisile Simelane the only backs among the reinforcements.
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The hosts ended up losing both scrumhalves, Imad Khan and Duvenage, to injury, with the backs alternating shifts from the base of the ruck.
Bok boss Rassie Erasmus introduced the Bomb Squad at the 2019 World Cup in Japan and has even gone seven-one, a move that sent those already critical of the tactic, calling it unsportsmanlike and a risk to player welfare, into overdrive.
Yet many teams followed the six-two trend made famous by the Boks.
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Speaking about the Stormers’ selections, former All Blacks coach Steven Hansen painted anything other than a traditional five-three split, which New Zealand have stuck with, to be a risk that would eventually flop for South African and any other teams going that route.
“The six-two split didn’t work in favour of the South Africans this time. They roll the dice every time they do it, and they were unlucky in that they got two players injured in the same position,” Hansen said on the Rugby Unity Podcast.
“I hear the commentators say, ‘it’s changed the course of the game’, but you know that before you go in, and I don’t think you can use it as an excuse for anything.
“If you’re going to play a six-two split, you’ve got to go through all the scenarios. For me, it [Stormers scenario] showed it can be vulnerable if things don’t go the way you want.
“That’s the risk you take, whoever is doing it, so it will be interesting to see if it changes people’s minds or if they keep doing it and are prepared to take the risk.”
While the Stormers didn’t do themselves any favours by going six-two without real flexibility or a back-up playmaker, the nature of the Springboks’ arsenal offers them more protection.
There’s no reason that the Stormers’ situation should be used by detractors to try and trivialise the success the Springboks have achieved with their Bomb Squad, repeatedly.
Andre Esterhuizen’s hybrid role offers the national side more room to experiment, while the versatility of a number of the players at their disposal makes the Boks more equipped to take that risk.
Cheslin Kolbe alone can cover fullback, wing, flyhalf, and scrumhalf; Kwagga Smith (injured) can easily slot into the backline, and Damian Willemse can come in at 10,12, and 15.
Canan Moodie can do duty on the wing and outside centre, while fullback Quan Horn – who can also cover wing – became the latest player to be trialled in a new position at No.10 when South Africa ran out against the Barbarians in June.
But it’s not even about the player personnel in the Bok changeroom or the level of talent and fluidity they have that makes them “safe” from that downside of not having three backs on the bench; with the innovation we have seen from Erasmus and his men over the last few years, it’s hard to think they’ll employ any maneouvre that hasn’t been planned to a T.
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