Passing the Test
After a series of rotten so-called international Test matches that did the game of rugby no good, it was a welcome change to watch two powerhouses slug it out on Saturday at Newlands.
The conditions were fine, the sun was setting behind Table Mountain and in the midst of concrete grandstands South Africa managed to bring it home against a plucky and menacing Australian side.
The Wallabies have been largely written off in this gluttonous year of rugby competition, but they proved that they have the flair and determination to take a match to the edge despite only surviving on scraps of possession and territory. Add a Chris Latham at the back, and the territory stakes, and the game, may have gone their way.
It seems as though Jake White is largely achieving his aim of brutalising his opponents into submission.
What helps his cause immensely are the twin dynamos of Springbok rugby – Pierre Spies and Schalk Burger.
They, along with the stylised fullback play of Percy Montgomery, can be attributed with generating the majority of the Boks’ momentum.
And then there was the outrageous matchwinning cameo of the mercurial Francois Steyn, who left us gaping open-mouthed in awe.
It may be that it is that kind of twist that will see the eventual world champions home in October.
But instead of banking on that, the Boks should work on converting momentum and dominance into consistent points against defensively organised teams. The medium for that conversion must be creativity.
A genuine ball player needs to be added to the inside channels of the backline – Wayne Julies, Brad Barritt and Adrian Jacobs all spring to mind – and it may be worthwhile to have Bob Skinstad combining with Spies and Burger to link the loose trio to the outside runners.
Schalk Burger has improved his ball-carrying immensely – an extra dash of speed and a scent for space have gone a long way. But that has meant that Spies, Burger and Juan Smith are perhaps all too similar players to form a balanced loose trio.
Skinstad may be an effective, and creative, support to two of those hard-running flankers.
And if there is an organisational midfielder in the backline, in the vein of Tim Horan and Aaron Mauger, all of a sudden the Bok machine could spring into try-scoring action.
Another exciting idea could be giving Ruan Pienaar a go at fly-half. His reading of the game, big boot, and ability to find the gap is perhaps too valuable to leave out of the starting line-up.
Finishing touches in the fashion of these go a long way in gaining the Cup-winning edge that otherwise great All Black sides did not possess in 1999 and 2003.
It may just be that the blunt and hard-swinging cudgel that was enough to beat the Australians on Saturday will be inadequate against the verve of the high-flying All Blacks.
By Chris Waldburger
