Three fantastic 40-minute performances in the Rugby Championship can be accreditated to game plans, the Bok prop said.
Springbok prop Boan Venter said the team sticking to structures established in training have helped them produce their best results this season, as seen in a couple of first- and second-half performances where everything clicked.
The Boks head into their final Rugby Championship match wanting to repeat the performances where they led 22-5 against the Wallabies at half-time in Johannesburg, scored 33 points to the All Blacks’ three in the second half in Wellington, and then scored six tries and a total 42 points against Argentina in the second half in Durban.
The last performance came after a number of penalties were conceded in the first half for offsides, knock-ons, dangerous tackles and other errors. There were also Cheslin Kolbe’s drop-out blunder and Malcolm Marx’s yellow card in the first half.
But the Boks rectified that, with Argentinian coach Felipe Contepomi saying “South Africa were too strong for us, especially at the end of the first half and beginning of the second”.
Boks follow their structures
The Springboks lead the tournament table but say they “have won nothing yet”. They know only victory against Argentina in Twickenham on Saturday will allow them to defend their title for the first time.
“The competition is not won yet,” Venter said. “We know there is still a job to do. We’ll keep our heads down and do the hard work, hopefully get the result on the weekend and then have something to celebrate.”
He said the Boks being able to score so many tries, as seen by their 33- and 37-point-difference wins over the last two games, was more due to game plans and backing players to play to their skill set within those game plans, than each player doing their own thing.
“It’s not getting ahead of ourselves if we are up at half-time. Just sticking to our structures and not going off script. It’s definitely a credit to sticking to our system and not going crazy.”
Venter growing into his Springbok jersey
On a personal note, Venter said every opportunity to play a Test for the Springboks motivates him to work hard.
Venter has played five Tests this year, starting with his debut against Georgia in July.
The 28-year-old has been good at scrum time especially. He also made a few solid carries and tackles before going off in the 48th minute on Saturday.
“Test rugby is on another level,” Venter said, comparing international rugby to the standard of the United Rugby Championship, which Venter has played in for Edinburgh since its Pro 14 days in 2021.
“The speed and physicality has gone up. But being in a team with world-class athletes it makes the transition a lot easier because you know every guy is responsible and will pull his own weight and do his job. So it’s easy to slot in and express yourself.”
He said he was grateful to be in a world-class Springbok pack.
