Boks expose Kiwis weakness

THE South African Springboks may have handed the Wallabies a blueprint on how to defeat the All Blacks and retain rugby’s Bledisloe Cup next weekend, Australian coach Eddie Jones said yesterday.

A week after their controversial Test in Brisbane was marred by claims of dirty play, the South Africans showed the Australians on Saturday how to stymie the All Blacks’ attack, which piled 50 points against the Springboks and the Wallabies in the Tri-Nations event.

New Zealand clinched the Tri-Nations trophy but their tradesmanlike 19-11 win (with one try apiece) over the Boks in Dunedin on Saturday gave Wallabies supporters hope for the August 16 Bledisloe Cup match in Auckland. There was little sign of back-line panache of the away matches in South Africa and Australia earlier in the series, as the All Blacks were restricted to three line breaks in the 80 minutes.

Jones said on Sunday he took insights from the Springboks which he may use when his team defends the Bledisloe Cup at Eden Park in six days. “They certainly put pressure on the All Blacks and did it well.”

Springbok coach Rudolf Straeuli’s game plan was not subtle, but it was effective. The South Africans took on a revamped All Black forward pack and combined it with swarming defence and high kicking which exposed defensive frailties in the All Blacks’ back three of Mils Muliaina, Doug Howlett and Joe Rokocoko.

Had South African fly-half Louis Koen not had another off day with his kicking, the Springboks could have pulled off an upset.

Former Wallabies centre Michael O’Connor had no doubt that Australia, with its far more dangerous outside backs, could use the same tactics to greater advantage. “If Australia had the same sort of ball that South Africa had, I think they could have beaten the All Blacks by 50,” said O’Connor on Channel Seven yesterday. “I thought South Africa showed how to play the All Blacks. They moved up and they defended very, very well.

“They don’t play a slide defence, they move up, they’re in your face, they tackle hard and they tackle low.”

Jones believed the slippery evening conditions in Dunedin helped make it a tight contest. “They (South Africa) probably would have played like that anyway. They played a very confrontational game, they got up in their faces and obviously kicked very well.”

The down side for the Wallabies was that the result was a wake-up call for New Zealand, which had made five changes to its starting pack. When regular starting lock Chris Jack, hooker Kevin Mealamu and prop Greg Somerville were introduced in the second half, the Kiwis began to gain the upper hand in the forwards.

The Springboks may have shown the Wallabies how to beat the All Blacks, but that doesn’t mean they want them to.

“After what happened last week in Brisbane I think you know who we might be bellowing for,” said South African skipper Corne Krige, referring to Australia’s post-match accusations of premeditated dirty play by South Africa in the Brisbane Test.