Expert Witness: Former Springbok hooker Schalk Brits previews the final round of the Rugby Championship

James While

With one round left of a thrilling 2022 Rugby Championship, our Expert Witness this week is the legendary Springbok and Saracens hooker, Schalk Brits.

All to play for

South Africa will host Argentina in Durban and will rely on either Australia beating New Zealand in Eden Park, or, if the All Blacks win, the Springboks winning by a margin that is 14 points greater than the result of the Bledisloe Cup match.

It has been a captivating and thoroughly competitive Rugby Championship, with each team having impressive relative results over their rivals and with the form of Argentina making sure that every single result and point has been earned the hard way.

Schalk Brits is one of rugby’s great characters – a winger in a hooker’s jersey and a man who played with freedom and a smile – and he confesses to have been thrilled by what he’s seen from all four sides this season.

“It has been an incredible tournament this season,” he told Planet Rugby.

“The turns and twists have kept us all on the edge of our seats and I think I’m right in saying all four nations have had a turn at the top of the table at some point during the log, which demonstrates just how hard the games have been played and how close the teams are right now.

“The Springboks will take on Argentina in Durban knowing they have a real uphill climb and are perhaps reliant upon the result and margin over in Auckland, which isn’t ideal. But it is what it is and I’m extremely comfortable with the selections made for this Test.

“I had to chuckle when I saw my best mate Francois Steyn starting at 10; the last time he played there from the off was on my debut in 2008 at the old Newlands versus Italy! It seems so long ago now, but I remember he scored a try after seven minutes and we won 26-0.

“Frans is a player that has embraced versatility. Some people often say that the utility back tag can be a hindrance, but not for Steyn. His record shows two Lions series wins and two World Cups and I think I am correct in saying he’s the only man to have achieved that feat. His selection is testimony to his fitness and consistency and he’ll do a great job on Saturday.

“One of the features of the Argentinian game is their ability to throw big men down the 10 channel. They’re at their absolute best when they get the likes of Pablo Matera and Guido Petti running from first receiver with their half-backs throwing switch plays either side of that primary carrier. Once they get momentum into that 10/12 channel, they can be quite devastating, often using cut backs and in/out passes at high tempo and high skill level to break open defences.

“The Springboks are most comfortable when we have a big guy – the likes of Handre Pollard and before him, Butch James and Henry Honiball – shutting down any momentum in that fly-half channel. Frans is a massive figure and a brilliant defender and the Los Pumas carriers will get absolutely no change running at him in terms of gain line advantage. His role will be absolutely key here, and we cannot let Argentina’s runners have the freedom they had in the second half last week when we defended more poorly than we would have liked.

“Add onto this, it may very well come down to points difference and Frans’ ability off the tee is peerless, so I suspect this is also a factor in selection.”

Argentinian skill

“As I said earlier, Argentina have been fabulous this season. Back during my time at Saracens playing with the likes of Marcello Bosch and Juan Figallo we were always in awe of their individual skill sets and we always knew the potential Los Pumas had,” Brits said.

“Their current journey started with an excellent showing at the 2007 World Cup and from there, slowly but surely, they’ve moved things forward, creating continuity from a talented but small playing pool. This season, with the emergence of Emiliano Boffelli, Matera, Tomas Cubelli, Marcos Kremer and others, they’ve really developed under Michael Cheika’s guidance into playing an all-court style of rugby with a great setpiece but importantly fantastic handling skills.

“Last weekend was a strange performance. It was the ultimate display of a tale of two halves, one where they started as cold as you like but were very hot in the second half, giving South Africa a lot of problems from broken field.

“For the Boks to succeed on Saturday it’s essential we stick to plan. Under Rassie Erasmus and latterly, Jacques Nienaber, we have developed certain KPIs of kick, tackle completion, exit and territorial position that form the framework of our strategy.

“It might sound boring but playing low risk when under pressure and opening up only when having a clear advantage is our way. It’s also the Leicester Tigers way and the Saracens way, simple rugby played accurately in areas that can hurt the opposition. We are very precise and structured. When chaos comes, it has to be on our terms and areas of the field where we can pressure the opposition.

“By saying all of that, I actually think this will be a tight game, especially in the first half. You can be sure that Los Pumas won’t start as cold as last week, they’ll be bouncing out and wanting to prove a point. However, I think it’ll be remarkably close up to 60 minutes, where the relative strengths of the bench should see South Africa able to pull clear in a game I expect to be played with incredible physicality and pace.”

Consistency key

“Over at Eden Park, the second Bledisloe game is going to be a very tasty affair, especially in light of the furore around last week’s officiating,” Brits said.

“I want to be clear about the last call, I felt it pedantic and, had I been on the receiving end of it, I would have been mightily p*ssed off. For me, the key was Bernard Foley was literally about to kick the ball out and I felt it would have just been easier to have let that happen.

“Would the ref have pulled up New Zealand, South Africa or England rather than Australia where rugby union has a lower focus? I doubt that because of media outcry. However, I would add that it did cross my mind that this was a bit of karma after the Nic White/Faf de Klerk incident earlier this season and I admit, as a proud Bok, that did make me chuckle privately!

“Notwithstanding that, some of the other calls from the officials were also poor. I was surprised in the Darcy Swain incident that the recognised protocols of foul play decisioning where not used: ‘danger level, mitigation, AR agreement and sanction’ is the correct method and that simply didn’t happen. It was a shocker of a hit that deserved proper structured examination by the officials and I am not sure that took place according to the guidelines.

“As players we want process and we want consistency. It is hard to swallow if referees change their calls during the 80 minutes as happened a few times in this Test. We don’t need a controversial Rugby Championship, we need a consistent one.”

He added: “In terms of a result, I obviously am backing the Wallabies to do the Boks a favour, but that aside, I do think they’ll be so wound up regarding last week’s moments that they’ll come out firing some big shots. Given the running power they have in the backline and especially in the back-row, it could be a pretty tasty battle on the gain line, especially considering Sam Cane and Quinn Tupaea are injured, although on the plus side, Ardie Savea is back at eight for them.

“It’ll be a very close Test match, almost too close to call, but I suspect New Zealand will just have enough, especially considering it’s at Eden Park.”

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