Boks' brains trust love nothing more than confounding the establishment

September 23 has loomed large on South Africa's calendar for the better part of three years. Now it’s only days away.

INNOVATE: Jacques Nienaber and Rassie Erasmus are not afraid to innovate or buck the trend. Pic: ©INPHO/SteveHaagSports/Steve Haag

THE Springboks have made two statement wins to begin the defence of their Rugby World Cup title – 18-3 over Scotland and 76-0 against Romania. But the real test of their credentials is looming in the form of a slick Ireland at Stade de France on Saturday.

South Africa scored 12 tries against Romania in Bordeaux on Sunday and had two more chalked off for marginal calls. The Boks were rampant, even with a makeshift backline and experimentation with flanks as hookers.

It was an impressive display considering so many players operated out of position, or in positions they are still ‘learning.’ Deon Fourie, once a hooker but a man who has spent the last six years playing flank, operated in the front row after half-time. He replaced skipper Bongi Mbonambi, who remains the only fit and recognised hooker in the squad after the devastating knee injury to Malcolm Marx.

Marco van Staden, who started as flank, then had a turn at hooker and connected with his jumpers four times. Van Staden has only ever played flank at senior professional level, although he was recruited out of school by the Bulls as a hooker.

Those two successful cameos proved to coach Jacques Nienaber that he could afford to call up fly-half Handre Pollard to the squad to replace Marx, instead of recognised hooker Joseph Dweba.

It’s another risky ploy from the Nienaber/Rassie Erasmus bag of tricks which has given us seven/one splits between forwards and backs, and flashing signals from the coaches’ box.

But they’re not afraid to innovate and buck the trend. They love nothing more than confounding the establishment and doing the unexpected. It’s led to a healthy squad dynamic where no ideas are deemed foolish while also raising some tough questions for their opponents, who don’t always know what to expect from the Boks.

What Ireland can expect, and what Romania encountered, is brutal defence. The Boks have conceded just three points in two games at this tournament and they last leaked a RWC try in the semi-final against Wales four years ago.

While adding some fine attacking play to their power game, they have not sacrificed their defensive intensity. If anything, they’ve improved it.

Romania had periods of possession but were smashed backwards relentlessly, much like Scotland endured a week earlier. The Boks simply smother and obliterate attacking forces, although Ireland are one of the most intelligent attacking teams in the game.

Nienaber selected four scrum-halves in his match 23 to face Romania with Faf de Klerk producing a quality outing at fly-half in the second half.

Cobus Reinach's natural attacking instincts were on full display while he still controlled the game with accurate kicks and tactical play. He scored a hat-trick inside 25 minutes – his second RWC hat-trick after doing the same against Canada four years ago.

Half-back Grant Williams started on the wing and was lethal when he had space. His two tries, running hard off inside shoulders, were a microcosm of how far the Boks’ attacking game has come in four years.

Wing Makazole Mapimpi took his RWC try tally to nine with a hat-trick. Though he is unlikely to feature against Ireland as Cheslin Kolbe and Kurt Lee Arendse are the ‘first’ choice wings currently.

Munster’s Jean Kleyn was immense and could face his erstwhile national teammates, with some doubt over Eben Etzebeth’s fitness. Munster teammate RG Snyman was also excellent when he joined the fray after half-time.

The stage is well set and the biggest match of the Pool stage alongside France and New Zealand’s opening night clash 10 days ago. Ireland versus the Springboks will be the contest of round three at Rugby World Cup 2023.

The number one and two ranked teams should not have been in a position to meet in the pool stages. But thanks to the decision to hold the draw when Manie Libbok, Canan Moodie and Grant Williams were not even household names in their own household, this is where we are.

The Springboks have steadfastly refused to speak about the Ireland showdown throughout the tournament. Their mantra has been to focus on the team next in line, although no one was buying that they spent days and weeks analysing Romania and only turned to Ireland this week.

September 23 has loomed large on the calendar for the better part of three years and now it’s days away. And yet, the result might not change the outcome of who advances from Pool B. It’s not quite a knockout game and winning or losing still doesn’t decide who meets whom in the quarterfinals.

A Bok victory would certainly heap pressure on Ireland, who have to play Scotland in their final Pool match. An Irish win means the Boks aren’t through either, with a final Pool game against Tonga to come. A draw would further muddy the waters.

The reality is that the two best sides in Pool B are set for a monumental Parisian showdown. It’s a game worthy of a final, given the individual talent and collective skill on display, but it might be no more than a footnote when the tournament is over.

Or it could be a precursor to a return meeting at Stade de France on October 28.