Assistant coach Deon Davids said he's enjoying the fruits they've reaped from their hard labour. But there's more to do.
The Springboks dominated mauls and scrums against the All Blacks in Soweto. Picture: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images
Scrum penalties, a penalty try resulting from a scrum, and a maul driven under the All Blacks’ posts in their third Test in Soweto, were welcome results of the hard labour the Springboks have done in training.
But the forward pack always have areas they can improve, said Deon Davids.
The Springbok assistant coach spoke Tuesday night ahead of Saturday’s fourth and final Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Test against the All Blacks in Baltimore.
The Springboks have an unassailable 2-1 lead after coming back from a defeat at Ellis Park with wins in Cape Town and at FNB Stadium.
The latter was where the forward dominance really came through, finally rewarded by referee Nika Amashukeli after Andrew Gardner wouldn’t referee the scrums in the second Test, and the All Blacks simply collapsed many of them.
The visitors’ coach Dave Rennie simply admitted the Boks had scrummed legally and better than them. He vowed to work on the set-piece before Baltimore.
‘Never the final product’
Davids said that the Springboks could not rest on their laurels even now.
“Going into the series, we understood that it would be very important to have a good set-piece, and the hard work that has been put into the scrums, lineouts and mauls is starting to show now,” he said.
“We are never the final product. There are always some things to work on. We’re continuously evaluating our systems, our individual effort and our effort as a pack… There is still room for improvement to find better cohesion in attack and defence.”
He commended the hookers and lineout jumpers for winning all of their lineouts despite the blustering wind on the night.
Wiese epitomises what being a Springbok is about
When asked about eighthman Jasper Wiese, who joined him in the press conference, Davids said that he “epitomises what being a Springbok is about.”
The No 8’s physicality in attack and defence, work off the ball in the breakdowns and mauls, the unseen contributions, leadership and knowledge imparted to younger players, make him the ideal player.
It’s an honour coaching him. I think he’s a massive part of the team going forward,” Davids said.
A ‘wonderful privilege’ to be part of age-old rivalry
He said it was also special helping coach the Springboks to a potential series win against the All Blacks, coming from a background as a high school PE teacher.
He said he was made aware of the rivalry as a boy growing up in a house full of rugby lovers in Bredasdorp.
The All Blacks received much South African support during Apartheid, especially in the coloured community.
“We used to wake up early in the 80s to watch the Tests on TV, listen to commentary. On radio we listened to Gerhard Viviers describing it all.
“There used to be rivalry during games between friends and family who supported both teams, and this became part of me as young boy.
“But I never thought I’d be part of it all later on in my rugby career, in my role as teacher, coach… Now it’s a wonderful privilege that it worked out for me that I am here now after a long journey.”
He said the teams bring out the best in each other, and it was special to turn it around after the last time the All Blacks toured South Africa and beat them in 1996.
