Hindsight is an exact science and therefore it’s easy to say someone is wrong when it was proven already.
But here goes: Springbok director Rassie Erasmus and coach Jacques Nienaber back the wrong horses for this specific course and that’s why they had to rope off Manie Libbok for Handre Pollard in their narrow 16-15 Rugby World Cup semifinal win over England on Saturday.
When I saw the team they selected last Thursday, I was taken aback a bit.
I expected that after the brutality of the French quarterfinal, there would be some changes.
Breathless#ENGvRSA | #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/VCWdi3F0Jr
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 21, 2023
It was based on a couple of things. Firstly, I thought England, in 2019 when they beat New Zealand in the semifinal and then lost to South Africa in the final, was the best example of how a team can empty their team one week and simply not get it up the following week.
Outside Jesse Kriel was the one example of a guy who bled for his country and left everything out there on the day.
I thought it would be difficult for him to reproduce that performance a week later. And maybe the experience Lukhanyo Am would freshen things up in the semi. Kriel did enough to then return in the final, I thought.
The other reason was what England would bring. With Freddie Steward at the back, they were always going to be bigger than us under the high ball. Here I thought maybe give Canaan Moodie, who is bigger than both Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe, a run on the wing.
Breathless#ENGvRSA | #RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/VCWdi3F0Jr
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 21, 2023
The way England play and the wet weather conditions also meant the kicking games of halfbacks Faf de Klerk and Handre Pollard (who plays his club rugby in England and probably knows the opponents better than Libbok) were better suited to the running style of Cobus Reinach and Libbok.
The bad decisions from the coaching staff filtered down to the team, with captain Siya Kolisi then also twice deciding not to kick at goal, despite being 6-0 down.
He opted for touch and on both occasions the Boks had nothing to show for their failed lineout mauls.
Still, the world champions learned some hard lessons in this clash and that bodes well ahead of this week’s final against New Zealand.
Your 2023 finalists.#RWCFinal pic.twitter.com/hfOeMhqb7z
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 21, 2023
Lucking for South African fans, this was that one bad day at the office and the team had enough fighting spirit and determination to eke out a victory thanks to their bench, with an RG Snyman try 11 minutes from time and Pollard’s penalty eight minutes later cancelling out Owen Farrell’s four penalties and drop goal.