OPINION: Boks look good when they decide to play positive rugby

The Springboks actually look really good when they decide to play positive rugby, as they showed in their 30-26 defeat against France in Marseille on Saturday night.

The usual kick oriented game plan they are known for was not prevalent against the French, as the Boks instead banked on a running game in an attempt to run the heavy French forwards off of their feet.

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 Despite the loss, the plan actually worked, as the home side were made to work incredibly hard for the win, and were assisted by a red card to Pieter-Steph du Toit in the 10^th minute, which gave them an extra man until the 48^th minute, when Antoine Dupont was sent off.

With the numbers even the Boks then surged from 19-13 down, into a 26-22 lead, with their impressive ball in hand approach causing the French all sorts of problems.

The home side was then assisted again by a yellow card to Deon Fourie, reducing the Boks to 13-men, as well as a number of dubious calls in the closing stages of the match.

Exciting array of talent

The Springboks have an exciting array of talent in their backline, with their back three on Saturday of Cheslin Kolbe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Willie le Roux all impressing.

Makazole Mapimpi even had to play off the bench, while other thrilling backs like Lukhanyo Am and Canan Moodie are injured, so the Boks often have more than enough talent to play a regular running game.

That is why it is so frustrating to see them only deploy a running game plan against a minority of opponents.

The Boks kicking and mauling game plan does work for them, but not often enough, as seen when they dominated the All Blacks in Mbombela earlier this year when it worked, followed by them being comfortably beaten at Ellis Park a week later when it didn’t.

It also didn’t work against Australia in Adelaide, while their penchant to kick too much cost them against Ireland, with them kicking valuable ball away when having an overlap, and in the closing stages.

It shouldn’t be too much of an ask for the Bok management to try and find a game plan that incorporates a running game, as well as kicking and mauling, as that would play to all of their strengths and surely turn them into a formidable team.