The Springboks have their work cut out for them if they are to defend their Rugby Championship title, says defence coach Jerry Flannery.
Springbok defence coach Jerry Flannery believes that there are no weak teams in the Rugby Championship and that the Boks will need to be at their absolute best if they are to retain the title they picked up last year.
With the Wallabies on the up, Argentina always a wild card, and the All Blacks their biggest rivals, the Boks truly have their work cut out for them if they are to go back-to-back in the competition for the first time in their history.
If they are to do it, they will need to get off to a good start against the Aussies at Ellis Park on Saturday. The visitors are brimming with confidence after beating the British and Irish Lions in their last game, and Flannery admitted that they will be a different beast to last year when the Boks thumped them Down Under.
“If you look back at last year, Argentina were the dark horses. They came out of nowhere and shocked New Zealand, and beat us as well,” said Flannery at a Bok press conference on Tuesday.
“There are no weak teams in the Championship. That is it. Looking at last year objectively, Joe Schmidt had only just taken over the Wallabies after the World Cup, where they had looked rudderless.
“So they started slowly, and we benefited from that because we played them early in the tournament (beating them 33-7 and 30-12). That is not the case with the Wallabies now, but we want to play the best teams when they are at their best.
“With all due respect to Georgia and the Barbarians (who the Boks played last month), we want to be playing the best teams in the world because that is how you get better.”
Schmidt factor
Flannery previously worked with Schmidt, during his successful tenure as head coach of Ireland, that many have credited for building them into the powerhouse they currently are.
He explained that the New Zealander was laying a similar groundwork for the Wallabies to rise from, after a dreadful 2023 World Cup, and that the breakdown battle would be a key one that could decide the way the game swings this weekend.
“They play very direct rugby with a lot of detail, and the breakdown is a massive part of their game. You could say the breakdown is key to stopping them,” said Flannery.
“Joe’s teams are meticulously planned, not just for the first three phases but for five or six. That requires accuracy at the breakdown, and they always have two players in quickly.
“Bringing in guys like Taniela Tupou, Will Skelton and Rob Valetini gives them huge ball-carrying power and momentum, which feeds into that quick-ball game. Our system won’t change, but we’ll emphasise certain areas more.”
