Few nations have been able to combat the Springboks’ “bomb squad”, but World Rugby’s updated laws could be about to reduce the world champion’s second-half weapon, according to Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt.
In May, World Rugby released three laws that would be immediately brought in and another series of laws that would first be rolled out in lower-tier competitions, including 30-second shot clocks at the set-piece – lineout and scrum – as well as a 30 second decrease from 90 to 60 second conversions.
Although the laws aren’t ratified world wide yet, SANZAAR is expected to give the green light to the laws for the TRC.
While the laws are designed to speed up the game and appeal to the wider audience, they also could slow the Springboks’ World Cup dominance.
After years of emptying their massive forwards at once, Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus – the game’s greatest innovator – controversially named only one back on his eight-man bench against the All Blacks on the eve of the World Cup.
The Boks then broke with convention during the World Cup by regularly naming just two backs on the bench rather than three.
Double World Cup-winning giant lock RN Snyman said the tactic spooked opponents.
“You can just see them retreat: not physically but mentally,” he said.
Damian de Allende and the Springboks celebrate a try during their big win over the Wallabies in Sydney in 2022. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Former Waratahs coach Matt Williams regularly slammed the tactic, saying it was “abusing our ethos” and “abusing the bench” and called on World Rugby to stop it.
“The bench came in all for safety reasons,” he said. “People didn’t come on for positions they weren’t trained for so we weren’t putting back rowers in the front row. Everything was done for a reason.
“They had seven forwards [against New Zealand]. Seven forwards… really? Seriously? And World Rugby has just got to act on this.”
As well as stacking their bench with forwards, the Springboks regularly tried to slow the play of the game and reduce the ball in time play by either kicking the ball out or taking a mark inside the 22-metre line and calling for a mark and opting for a scrum.
Indeed, Springboks fullback Damian Willemse called for a mark despite not being under any pressure during their incredible one-point victory over France in the World Cup quarter-finals.
Asked his opinion on the Springboks’ tactics and whether more fatigue needed to be introduced, Schmidt, who worked for World Rugby for a brief time, pointed to the governing body’s new laws as a method to speed the game up.
“Yeah, I think if you ask the players, they feel pretty fatigued at times,” Schmidt said.
“There is still fatigue in the game and if a bomb squad member comes on at half-time, they’ve still got to play 40 minutes.
“One of the challenges is to keep players moving from set-piece to set-piece. With the new law trials, 30 seconds to set a scrum, 30 seconds to have that line-out underway, 60 seconds, not 90 seconds, for a conversion now.
“Some of those times are being contracted a little bit and maybe that will impact on the size of the player.
“There are risks. Talking to Vern Cotter, who is obviously a good mate of mine around the Blues this year, with a 6-2 split, got two injuries very early on in their back line and played a half-back on the wing for the whole of the second half.
“So you can get stung by it, so any innovation is great until it’s not.”
The Springboks’ locks Eben Etzebeth, RG Snyman, Jean Kleyn and Franco Mostert celebrate after being the All Blacks to win the World Cup on October 28, 2023 in Paris. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
The new laws will likely help the Wallabies, who are without any of their foreign-based stars including World Cup skipper Will Skelton. Others like Tolu Latu, Scott Sio, Richie and Rory Arnold, as well as Sean McMahon weren’t called up.
Without the foreign-based stars, the Wallabies’ pack isn’t just lighter but less experienced.
“As good a player as Will is with the experience he has, if he arrives here and he’s fatigued, and he goes back there and he’s fatigued, and we’re trying to get him backwards and forwards, it’s not necessarily going to add the amount of value we’d like it to add,” Schmidt said.
“We’ve had a few discussions, Will and I, and he’s a great fella to talk to. He obviously watched our games during July very closely … and we have chatted about him potentially being involved later in the Championship.”
Although the Wallabies have a great record against the Springboks in Brisbane, Schmidt’s side are outsiders for Saturday afternoon’s likely sell-out clash at Suncorp Stadium.
Schmidt said the Springboks “looked pretty impressive” during their drawn series against Ireland but attempted to put some pressure on the officiating.
“The level intensity of that Irish series with South Africa was entertaining,” Schmidt said.
“I think most people would have been entertained by the one-all result, and particularly Ciaran Foley nailing those two late drop goals to win the second Test.
“A bit of controversy with James Lowe’s try being disallowed, not the first time for South Africa, they tend to get a bit of luck from that perspective.
“They don’t need too much luck to fall their way though, they make a lot of their luck with the quality of player and the connectedness that they have. They have guys who played a lot of Test match footy together and that breeds a confidence and an unspoken trust amongst players that they know what each other are going to do, and they have an expectation of them doing it well.
“Based on the way South Africa have played, they’ve done things well.”
Joe Schmidt with the Wallabies at Ballymore. Photo: Wallabies media, Julius Dimataga
Asked whether he wanted more time with his new team before taking on the double world champions, Schmidt once again attempted to lower the expectation around his young side.
“Yeah, I’d like to have more time, to be honest,” he said.
“I think I’ve got to be candid, it’s very much been a sprint so far. We had three match weeks, we had a brief camp here before those, and then we’ve had a small hiatus and we’re back underway.
“Six new players in that I haven’t spent time with before. Connecting it all up is a real challenge.
“They’ve got massive experience in their spine but some really exciting young players like [Aphelele] Fassi, who looks like a heck of an athlete.
“I’ve coached against most of them over a number of years with Ireland and New Zealand. So, I probably know them better than I know us but we’ve got a great bunch of young men, who are really committed to trying to make sure that they are as competitive as possible on Saturday.”
