Boks ready for 'aerial ping-pong'
WORLD CUP SPOTLIGHT: Wales represent a clear and present danger to South Africa’s title hopes when the sides go head-to-head in the semifinal in Yokohama on Sunday.
The Welsh have beaten the two-time world champion Springboks in five of their last six meetings – following years of Springboks dominance.
And for the Boks to change the recent trend – four consecutive wins by the Welsh – they need to beat Wales at what is expected to game of ‘aerial ping-pong’.
Both teams are renowned for making liberal use of the boot and their staunch defence.
The view is that this kicking strategy gifts possession to the opposition.
However, the Springboks have conceded only nine tries in 10 matches this season, while scoring 49 themselves.
At the World Cup, the Boks scored 30 tries in five matches and conceded just three – two of those in the opening match against New Zealand.
Wales, in comparison, has scored 36 tries in 14 matches and conceded 28. At the World Cup, they have scored 19 in five matches and coughed up 12.
For the Boks, it is a fair return from “kicking away possession”.
“We do kick a lot, but we try and read the game and we try and get momentum,” South African scrumhalf Francois de Klerk said.
“So, if you look at this [past] weekend, we did kick a lot in the air and Japan managed to contain our aerial battle.
“But if you look further, after that, we managed to get a very positive outcome from so much territorial gain on them with our defence.
“When we kicked, they may have gained possession, but very rarely managed to do anything with it.”
To avoid slipping on a potential banana skin, De Klerk promised the Boks would come out firing in Yokohama.
“It’s going to be a slippery one,” said the pint-sized scrumhalf with the flowing blonde locks.
“But as a team, we’re more in tune with how they want to play.
“Whoever you play in a World Cup semifinal, they’re going to pose threats – not just Wales.
“Any team could be a bogey team on the day.
“We’re just going to have to be up for it.
“It’s going to be a massive battle in the air.
“It’s going to come down to three or four moments.”
South Africa, who have failed to reach the World Cup final since lifting the Webb Ellis Cup in 2007, finished behind defending champions New Zealand in Pool B after losing 13-23 to the All Blacks in their opening game.
But assistant coach Mzwandile Stick insisted the Springboks were coming to the boil nicely after that early wake-up call.
“We were guilty in that New Zealand game of not converting our opportunities into points,” he said, promising a more clinical performance against Wales, who edged 14-man France 20-19 in their quarter-final.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oOlkZGGLLs
‘Suffocate teams’
“We’re expecting a tough battle against Wales, especially with their kicking game,” added Stick.
“Wales have a solid kicking game – they have four world c lass kickers.
“Wales are a territory-driven team and always suffocate teams.
“They don’t allow them to come into their half. It’s going to be key for us that when we get our opportunities, we convert them.
“If you look at [scrumhalf Gareth] Davies and guys like [Liam] Williams and [Dan] Biggar – these are guys who’ve been around.
“They’ve got a lot of experience.”
With this return on investment it would be stupid to not keep doing it, as stupid as it will be to try it against @RugbyWal – but never just look at the kick itself. Look at where you win the ball back!@Oom_Rugby @SquidgeRugby @Ruggaworld @SimonBorchardt @thepaulwilliams pic.twitter.com/6AQmSZf2hN
— ʙʀᴇɴᴅᴏɴ sʜɪᴇʟᴅs (@rugbycology) October 23, 2019
De Klerk – one of the key players in delivering the kicking plan of the team – had been the subject of much commentary and criticism, especially in social media.
“Players always say they try and stay away from it, but it’s impossible not to see what is being put out there,” said the Springbok scrumhalf.
“Some of the stuff is funny, and I really enjoy some of the stuff that people come up, but some guys also get a bit personal.
“But people love the Springboks and they are very invested in the team and if they see something go wrong, or if they’re not agreeing with it [gameplan], they let us know.
“It’s not because they’re negative; it’s because they’re very invested and we appreciate that as players in that we know we have got great support behind us.
“At the end of the day, when we win they are going to be happy that we got the job done.
“But we know in the camp what works for us and what doesn’t, and we try and listen to the coaching staff and the players around us – that’s the main thing.
“If you get caught up in that stuff, you’re losing focus on what you need to do.”
Sources: AFP & @Springboks
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