The fundamentals of South Africa’s game have not changed a great deal since 2019. They rely on their ferocious power, their set piece and their kicking game, but in the ensuing years they’ve added an ability to move the ball when the opposition’s defence is on the ropes. That is what makes them such a dangerous side.
They have developed an ability to recognise opportunities through transition, or through speed of ball, and spot when the time is right for the ball to be moved. Their back three are having a lot more of an impact with the ball in hand compared with their traditional role of kick chasers who run their channels and they are showing the magic they can create. It is really impressive how they pick the right time to move the ball in terms of what they’ve created on the inside with their power game.
Equally impressive is how, when the game starts getting too far away from their identity, they are very good at pulling it back to what they are more comfortable with and what they can be more effective with. We saw that in their quarter‑final win against France; it was like a basketball match at one point and I’m not sure that entirely suits South Africa. Hence why, just after half-time, we saw changes, with Handré Pollard and Willie le Roux coming on for Manie Libbok and Damian Willemse. We saw Deon Fourie and Kwagga Smith both come on to slow down France’s ball and the game turned into the kind of ugly battle that the Springboks relish.
There is definitely a blueprint for England to follow, however. It will come down to execution at the right moments, but I’m expecting a really tight contest, a match that’ll be closer than a lot of people seem to think. The key areas will be physicality, the aerial contest and being clinical when opportunities present themselves.
England do have the fundamentals to match South Africa. They’ve improved immensely in defence since their warm-up campaign – Kevin Sinfield has done an excellent job there – but they will need to step up in terms of physicality. A team like Ireland, who are so well-drilled, work their way up the field by being accurate and by manipulating defenders, but with South Africa it tends to be through brutal power. It can be a one‑versus‑one test at times. Stopping the Springboks’ power game, stopping them from winning the gainline, would go a long way towards beating them.
Coping with South Africa’s kicking game will also be crucial. Their first three tries came from the way they approached the aerial battle against France. They went after the wingers with Libbok and Willemse putting up high balls, they competed and they were able to create those transitions on which they fed. England can expect a lot of that around the middle of the field and they will have to be ready for that. If they can effectively set up uncontested catches by legally creating the cradle around the catch, then withstand South Africa at the catch-receipt ruck, that will be significant in nullifying the threat. And they must take their chances. France showed what can be done if you can get speed of ball against the Springboks and move their big pack around. England will surely look to do similar.
I look back to the manner in which New Zealand beat the Springboks in Auckland in July. Admittedly there was a group of South Africa players who had travelled late and hadn’t played the week before, but what the All Blacks got right that day was the aerial battle. They created scoring opportunities through their kicking game and I’ve got no doubt England can do that. Owen Farrell is a brilliant kicker of the ball; George Ford, if he’s involved, is too. They’ve got a back three who can go up, compete and win aerial duels. Then, on that transition, having the ability to sting the Boks is going to be so important.
In these tight games, it’s about taking your moments. The semi-finals are going to be closely fought and I only hope they are at the level of what we saw in the quarter-finals. Having played Test rugby, I can speak from experience that it can be really difficult to back up performances like that. It’s mentally, physically and emotionally draining.
The early part of this week will have been about refilling the tank and making sure that the players do not expend too much emotional energy too early. The start of the week is technical and tactical, letting the guys digest the gameplan and making sure they go into the back end of the week knowing what they need to know. Then, towards the end of the week, that’s when you start layering on the emotional energy, the part that requires no talent.
The day before, and the day of the game, the coaches tend to step back and let the senior players lead. The coaches who are able to get the rhythm of the week right are the ones who tend to be successful.
