The Springboks are world class at the kick chase, which logically shouldn’t be the case given the size of their wingers. Edwill van der Merwe, a carbon copy of Cheslin Kolbe, played against Georgia and was brilliant at either winning back Williams’ kicks cleanly, or at least contesting well enough for a teammate to pick up the scraps.
The Springboks also use second-rower Eben Etzebeth as a chaser, or have another giant such as blindside flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit close at hand.
Edwill van der Merwe was brilliant in the air against Georgia.Credit: Getty Images
And, if and when they win it back, they compound the pain for the visitors by spreading the ball into midfield and kicking deep again. Within 20 seconds of taking a restart, teams can find themselves scrambling back inside their own 22 to secure the ball and hack it into touch – which in turn sets up the Springboks maul. It becomes a cycle of misery that can be impossible to get out of.
Accordingly, the most important Wallabies at Ellis Park will be the wingers, or whoever is the designated catcher in the backfield.
A fallacy has developed since the South Africans departed Super Rugby, one that says that Australian and New Zealand forwards have suffered as a result. It contains only an element of truth. Trans-Tasman players have lost something without the regular exposure to the South Africans, but it’s the wingers and fullbacks who have paid the heaviest price.
South Africa are set to apply the blowtorch to Max Jorgensen at Ellis Park.Credit: Getty Images
Without this relentless aerial examination, you could argue that their readiness for Test rugby has been degraded a touch. Similarly, we reserve most of our praise for halfbacks who can run and offload, and only those in Canberra have a fuller appreciation of what a Ryan Lonergan-type player can bring to a team.
And even if the Springboks don’t regain the ball cleanly from a high kick, they might get the next best thing – an opposition knock on. The Springboks smashed the much-vaunted Georgia scrum at Mbombela Stadium, and their starting tight five for the first Wallabies Test looks stronger than that line-up.
But, again, the origin for that pressure was the box kick, and the Wallabies can also expect No.10 Manie Libbok to go to the air if the Springboks aren’t getting quick ball at the ruck.
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With this dominance, a 22-10 half-time lead was a relatively poor return for the Springboks – but they still do not look entirely comfortable when they try to play All Blacks rugby.
But where they do excel is building pressure with aerial contests, and when they get into the right areas of the field they are relentless at sending waves of big runners around the corner – and they have the ball carriers to get over the gain line four or five times in a row.
There is a way to stop this, and it’s at the source. The Test will be won or lost by how the Wallabies handle the high ball.
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