South Africa v Wales Listening to the changing doctrine of South Africa this week has again reinforced the idea that in team sports almost everything can be seen as a good thing. A bad decision can be a "shot in the arm". A botched try can "renew focus". The worst result in the history of the Rugby World Cup has "strengthened character".
Thank you Japan. You taught the Springboks humility. JP Pietersen, at least, thinks so. One of seven players from the squad that will travel east to Japan rather than south to Jo'Burg when the World Cup is over, Pietersen is on message about bad things being good things.
Japan’s win, the apology to the country, the embarrassment, the ignominy have all been put in the blender and turned into something more profoundly different.
“It was definitely emotional after Japan,” says Pietersen. “We opened up, had a hard session on the Monday about what we did wrong. We let ourselves down. We let each other down. We let our country down. Now it’s all about testing the character.
“As a character test for the team we were all disappointed. But I have to give credit to everyone who stood up in the last three games. Everybody saw the character and what they can bring to the team.
“We played knockout rugby from game two and we’re going into knockout rugby now, so I think that has helped us a lot in our mental preparation.”
Knockout rugby
Knockout rugby is both an attitude and a style. It changes tempo, mentality, aggression and brings immediacy to the way they play. It’s more dynamic and even more outcome driven than normal. But an unwanted aspect of playing that way is that players have become undisciplined and, as coach
Heyneke Meyer
continues to tweak his side, he knows patience must be added to make the brand work against Wales.
The Springboks have scored an average of almost six tries a match so far. But they have given away an average of over 12 penalties a game, seven in their own half and most of them coming in open play.
Knockout rugby it maybe but if Dan Biggar calls for the kicking tee seven times in the South African half at Twickenham, their tournament will probably be over.
“Yes definitely it’s going to be a factor on Saturday,” says Pietersen. “It’s knockout rugby. You can see Wales play very good rugby. They put pressure on our position and they’ve got a good goal kicker.
“It’s definitely going to be a factor this week. We talk about it . . . where we can be more patient in defence and give less penalties away.”
South Africa has also lost their two captains, first Jean de Villiers and then Victor Matfield for a combined loss of 234 international caps. Scrumhalf, Fourie du Preez, is now installed as the third pick captain, meaning Ulster's Ruan Pienaar will continue to be confined to a bit part from the bench.
It was another blow and came quickly after Japan but again the theme for the week has been to bounce back higher than before.
“It was difficult for us especially when we lost Jean. Everybody was a bit emotional,” says Pietersen. “It’s not a set back because one thing about the team is we have a good leadership group. Fourie is there. Schalk (Burger) is there. The next guy who steps in gets backing from the players.
“Fourie is more quiet than Jean and Victor. He’s not a guy who speaks a lot but when he speaks everybody listens. He makes a lot of good sense about the technical part of rugby. First time he’s captaining me. But It’s not just him alone, Schalk is helping him.”
Global spread
Part of South Africa’s challenge was adjustment because of the global spread of players. The listed clubs have Matfield at Northampton, Francois Louw in Bath,
Bryan Habana
at Toulon, Pienaar in
Ulster
, Zane Kirchner in Leinster, Schalk Brits at Saracens and Morne Steyne with Stade Francais, the rest in Japan or South Africa.
Meyer said earlier this week that Habana had difficulty in the past adjusting to Test rugby straight from France. It’s a new reality for Springbok players. Then again, that’s seeing negativity where there might be none at all.
“Japan has opened my mind about rugby,” says the winger. “It helps me to come out of my bubble, explore more and challenge myself.”
No surprise then, that it’s all good in Bagshot.
