Boks lacking flair, says Mallett

SOUTH AFRICA lost their World Cup showdown with England because they failed to back up their ferocious forward power with flair, according to former national coach Nick Mallett.

He said the Boks were short a match-winner and, despite all the optimism in the country, Saturday's 25-6 defeat was no surprise.

"What a pity the Springboks couldn't add flair to their ferocity," wrote Mallett in the Sunday Times in Johannesburg.

"They were brave and ballsy, but you need more than bloody-mindedness to beat England. You need match-winners.

"The Boks gave the favourites a very tough game, but what is sad is that we used to be the favourites ourselves and now we no longer are.

"We just make it tough for the opposition, like England, who absorb pressure and move on."

Mallett said the balance of world rugby power had shifted and the Springboks were slipping down the pecking order.

And he felt England flanker Lewis Moody's chargedown of Koen's attempted clearance kick which led to the only try of the match, had proved decisive.

"You don't want to blame yesterday's shattering loss on one guy, but Louis Koen missed five kicks and to have another in open play charged down at a vital period of the game really cost the Springboks," wrote Mallet.

"Notwithstanding the South African peoples' amazing sense of optimism which is seldom based on reality the result wasn't a great surprise.

"The match definitely swung on the chargedown kick. England clinically shifted to 13 points ahead and steadily improved their control and organisation.

"The Boks had no answer. They tried, but I never felt they were going to score.

Mallett said the defeat left the Boks with a formidable task if they hoped to reach the final.

"Our big worry was our inability to score and the certain predictability in our game," he said. "We tried to move turnover ball wide a couple of times, but it failed against England and would fail against New Zealand, who I expect the Boks will now face in the quarter-finals.

"We must be very sure of our ball retention against the All Blacks or else they will bury us."

Elsewhere, Italy coach John Kirwan has labelled tomorrow's showdown against Canada as the Azzurri's biggest game of the tournament.

An Italian victory will set up a showdown against Wales for Pool D's second quarter-finals spot.

Canada and Tonga had hoped to be in the mix, but two defeats in two for the former Pacific Rim nations has effectively ruled them out of the equation.