It was chalked off in the end by the match officials, but when Jesse Kriel crossed the line off the final move of the game for what looked like the score that would take the Springboks beyond 50 it was impossible not to note the difference from 11 months ago at this same venue.
Kriel was effectively the on field leader when the Wallabies ran riot in the second half en route to a 38-22 win in the Rugby Championship opener here at Ellis Park last August. Siya Kolisi did start that game as captain, but was replaced following an injury sustained in the first half. And afterwards the ever-green centre was happy to take it on the chin, admitting that he should have made some different calls that would have led to better game management.
This game was the antithesis of that one, with the way it unfolded to give the Boks a 45-21 win over England in their opening Nations Championship match being an indicator that the lessons of season’s past have indeed been internalised. Kriel was not leading this time, Pieter-Steph du Toit was, but the team as a whole exhibited the game management in the second half that they didn’t a year ago.
A DAY WHERE TWO DIFFERENT DYNAMICS DOVETAILED
Much of that was based around the way two completely different dynamics when it comes to loose-forward play and configuration dovetailed for the Boks. The 11th hour injury to Kolisi that prevented him from playing, and his replacement Paul de Villiers confirmed that it was only on the morning of the game that the change was made, meant that instead of the usual back row that depends so much on a big ball carrying No 7, the Boks had a mobile unit which featured debutant De Villiers and the internationally callow but wonderfully gifted Cameron Hanekom.
Both those players were hugely influential in the early dominance that saw the Boks scream into a 17-0 lead after just 12 minutes. But then in the second half, after a second quarter that saw England manage to get a few gasps of breath and come back into the game with two well taken try, it was the reversion to a more traditional loose trio set up that re-established Bok control just when it was needed.
After De Villiers and Hanekom had emptied their tanks in the first half, it was Ben-Jason Dixon who came on to play the usual Du Toit role off the blindside flank (Du Toit was pressed by the late injury enforced absence of Eben Etzebeth to play the entire game in the second row), with Marco van Staden moving into the openside role. Dixon capped his performance with a try near the end, but he made his presence felt from the start of the second half with his forceful play and it helped the Boks stabilise and prevent a repeat of what happened against the Wallabies.
“Ben-Jason made a big impact for us, he was really good,” said Bok coach Rassie Erasmus afterwards.
HOW THE INJURIES HELPED BOK COACH
As much as it was a day for the established stars, with both half centurions Damian Willemse, in particular, and Cheslin Koble shining brightly over the 80 minutes under the Ellis Park lights, it was also a day where the Boks underlines South Africa’s depth. And in indelible ink. It was also a day where, by happy accident, Erasmus was able to reap the benefits of having such a large squad in camp.
Up until now he’d been wondering how he was going to accommodate everyone, in other words give the newcomers a chance to shine and himself a chance to see how the different configurations might work. But no more. At least not when it comes to Hanekom and De Villiers, and probably Dixon too.
“With the amount of players we have in the squad we always wonder where we are going to give everyone a chance but we have a saying in the team that it will come to us. Today it came to us,” said Erasmus in reference to the way his forced changes had conspired to give a forceful leg up to the goals he is working towards.
PORTHEN SHONE TOO
Those weren’t the only new or relatively new players who took their opportunity in front of 52 000 appreciative Ellis Park fans who urged their team on. Zac Porthen, a surprise selection into the Bok squad a year ago, produced a monstrous performance as a carrier, playing a role in setting up Kriel’s try, and also contributed handsomely to the South African second half dominance.
Erasmus, as he was with the three flankers who’d used this as their chance to shine, was well pleased.
“I would like to have him roughed up in URC with the Stormers (because that is the best way for props to learn and grow in the dark arts of scrumming) but over the last few weeks he has had by scrumming in training against Gerhard (Steenekamp) and Ox (Nche),” said the coach.
OX IN DOUBT FOR ALL BLACK SERIES
The last mentioned cues one of the few negative points after this seven try to three triumph. Nche contributed as a carrier to the first Bok try, but wasn’t seen after that as he was helped from the field. Erasmus confirmed afterwards that it was a knee injury, while the hybrid player, Andre Esterhuizen, who came on at No 8 late in the second half, joined him on the sidelines.
“Ox suffered a knee injury and it looks bad but as always we will have to wait for the scans before we are sure about the full extent,” said Erasmus.
“Andre came off because he suffered a concussion and we will wait to hear what grade the concussion is.”
With Scotland up next at Loftus next Saturday and then Wales visiting Durban the week after that, the injuries won’t be keenly felt now. It was always likely Erasmus will mix and match his selections after the England encounter, which was expected to be the toughest of this home leg of the Nations Championship because although Scotland beat England in the last Six Nations season, they aren’t great travellers and will have to travel here from Cordoba, Argentina.
However while it would be safe to assume Esterhuizen will, at the latest, be back in time to play the warmup game in Argentina before the start of the Greatest Rivalry Series against the All Blacks next month, it would be reasonable to assume Nche will be in severe doubt for the clashes with the Kiwis.