Kwagga calls for maul of the same in second Test

As comprehensive as last weekend’s win in Mbombela may have seemed, not everything delivered by the men in green was tinged with gold.

The All Blacks may feel enthused that they partially nullified the Springboks’ much-vaunted maul, but they could be deflated equally by the prospect of the home team getting full traction from that facet this weekend at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

Springbok utility forward Kwagga Smith admitted the home team did not get all the gains they had hoped for from their deployment of the human caterpillar.

“They countered the mauls quite well, but we have had some reward as well,” said Smith. “We didn’t get the penalties like we wanted to, but we got a lot of go-forward on a lot of those mauls.”

Even if well-formed mauls don’t lead to tries or penalties, they exact a physical toll on the opposition. They sap energy and their regular deployment in areas of promise tend to yield dividends, though not necessarily where the big men are stomping.

Smith was in no doubt the Bok modus operandi in that area is unlikely to change. “We just have to focus on our process. We won’t change anything. We will try to get better.”

Greater efficiency in that area for the Springboks will put the already strained All Blacks game under more stress. They were on the back foot in the scrums and beaten to the punch at the breakdown. Generally, their pack was battered by the Boks.

What compounds the Kiwis’ misery is the Springboks’ six/two split on the bench, which means more forward peril in every way imaginable.

Smith is an integral part of the Boks’ now famed “Bomb Squad”, which comes off the bench and continues the demolition of the starters.

“It started a long time ago when coach Johan Ackers [Ackermann] went with a six/two split and I was also there if something happened to the backs at the Lions,” Smith recalled.

“I don’t focus on that [backline substitution] because the chances of it happening are slim. For me it is to focus on my game, but when the opportunity comes I’ll take it. The backs I will be playing with have a lot of experience, so they will help me a lot in that process.”

He believes the Boks have to hit the reset button and cannot count on last week’s gains to get them over the line on Saturday.

“There were mistakes last weekend. We know NZ is a top side, a really good side, so they’ll definitely come and play their hearts out, and play with a lot of skill and plans. It is a new game and a new week and we need to be ready. Anything can happen.”

In the same breath Smith acknowledges the All Blacks are there for the taking in this two-Test mini-series in the Rugby Championship. “Having two AB Tests at home is a huge advantage for us. It is an opportunity to go two-zero, but we know it is going to be a big challenge and that it won’t be easy.”

His development as back-row operator has coincided with the strides the Springboks made as a team over the past few years. Sure, he is not a regular starter, but Smith’s contribution, with his fellow benchmen, reminds one that the Boks have embraced and run with the 23-man concept with more alacrity than most.

“Last year it started building with the series against the British & Irish Lions,” Smith said about cementing his place in the squad. “Those were big games for me. I try to build on those performances. It was good exposure for me. Test level is something else. It is not easy. I just try to be the best player I can be.”

Saturday’s Test is a homecoming for Smith, who was an influential member of the Lions team that made it to three Super Rugby finals in a row. “My 15s career started at Ellis Park. I haven’t played there for the Springboks, so it is great to be back. I’m from up here, so it is great to have the local support. It is a great place and I have good memories there.”