The prop said there is still belief in the Springbok camp that they can bounce back in their remaining three matches against New Zealand.
Wilco Louw won a few scrum penalties for the Springboks before being subbed after 60 minutes. Picture: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images
The Springboks still have it in their power to win the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series if they convert their opportunities better than they did in their 33-16 defeat at Ellis Park on Saturday, said prop Wilco Louw.
Louw was part of a dominant South African scrum for the first 55 minutes, but after one too many chances went begging – notably in a scrum penalty going against them in their put-in in front of the All Blacks’ posts when they were only behind 19-16 – momentum shifted to the visitors, who ran away with the game.
The five-try-to-one result ended the Springboks’ 12-Test winning streak and allowed the All Blacks to overtake them at the top of the world rankings.
‘There is still belief’
Head coach Rassie Erasmus said the Boks have come back from calamity before – losing their first 2021 British & Irish Lions series match and 2019 World Cup pool game, and going on to win it all.
Like Erasmus, Louw backed the Springboks to do the same if they were more clinical in the remaining three games, starting with Cape Town on Saturday.
“It’s very disappointing but they used their opportunities well,” Louw said.
“There is still belief that the team can be better and take the next opportunity.
“The scrum is a part of the game and both teams have a proud scrum culture. I think we just need to use our opportunities better.”
The tighthead said no scrum was easy in a Test match. It was not for him to say why Zach Porthen and Gerhard Steenekamp had struggled more than he and Ox Nché did, but he knew the pair were quality players.
Louw on the Springboks’ tempo and All Blacks haka
There was talk in the build-up about New Zealand’s increased tempo under new coach Dave Rennie, and accusations about the Springboks slowing the game down.
“We want to play an exciting brand of rugby. I don’t think there is a nation that says they want to make it slow,” Louw said.
“It was a well-paced game. I don’t think it was too quick or too slow. I don’t think anyone tried to do something funny.”
Erasmus had also asked South African fans to respect the haka instead of drowning it out with chants of ‘olé’ like they had in the past.
The crowd was mostly quiet on Saturday, and Louw said he appreciated standing in front of the haka and hearing it clearly.
“The goosebumps… it’s a massive honour standing in front of it, facing it.
“It’s something every kid dreams about when they have dreams of playing for the Boks. It was a big honour.”
