Rassie sees good and bad in Bok win

Though they secured initial bragging rights in their two-Test series against Ireland, the Springboks need no reminding a higher standard will be required for their status as the best team on the planet to fully echo around the rugby world.

The World Champions are halfway to achieving that objective after a hard-fought 27-20 victory at a packed Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, though satisfied with the victory, is well aware his team will need to seek improvement before this weekend’s Test in Durban.

The Boks will not have altitude as an ally at the weekend and Ireland will likely find the underfoot conditions at Kings Park more to their liking.

“For both teams there was some good and some bad,” said Erasmus about the fiercely contested opener. “I thought there were some brilliant moments and also some awful moments where there are things we can work on.”

The Boks weren’t entirely convincing in the line-outs and the scrums, with the first few set pieces punctuated by the shrill of the referee’s whistle for technical infringements.

The Boks did not receive all kickoffs with authority and for a while their game became ragged and loose after their Bomb Squad was deployed. Attempts at goal, which proved such a kick in the guts for the Boks in recent clashes against Ireland, remain a pursuit for greater precision.

They do, however, have much to be emboldened about.

The Boks got the job done using width and speed through tries by wings Kurt-Lee Arendse and Cheslin Kolbe, as well as the direct route with a thunderous scrum that earned a match-clinching penalty try. 

Test passed

Overall, the Boks had put their World Champions and No 1 credentials on the line and passed the test. The Springboks are hard to beat and the win at Loftus was their sixth straight win since losing to Ireland in Paris last year. That defeat remains the only blemish in their last 13 Tests.

Ireland, as evidenced by their second half performance, remain a devilishly difficult team to beat.

It was the Bok coach’s maiden win against Ireland and the team’s first against the emerald greens since 2016.

“I think we always do everything as a group and as a group this was a team that we had 0% against. The closest we had was against the All Blacks, where we have a 50% record and even the British and Irish Lions was 67%. They really had our number and when they came back so strongly, if they didn’t have one or two big injuries in the game, it would have been much tighter.

“I wouldn’t say it was a monkey off our backs, but it certainly was a very competitive team that is No 2 in the world and on any weekend can take the step up and be number one,” said Erasmus. 

Can’t afford to coast

Erasmus knows the tourists will be better in Durban.

“I can’t talk for them because I know they are a classy team and they will come out firing in the last game of the series next week. You know, in the last few games between us and them it has been a few points, and to beat them with seven, home or away, is just a relief because they are the team we have struggled against for the last six years.”

Bok captain Siya Kolisi was also relieved his team had scaled a previously unconquered peak, but was wide-eyed to the challenge ahead.

“This game was important for us, especially as we haven’t been able to beat them. It is not done yet, we want to win the series and we know they are going to come back harder at us.

“Even in the game today, it looked like we would put it away but they came back at us. Next week is going to be a proper test for us in Durban.”