Matt Williams plays down Springboks dominance and hits out at ‘lies’ about Scott Robertson’s All Blacks
Springboks taking on the All Blacks in 2024 and pundit Matt Williams.
Matt Williams doesn’t believe that the Rugby Championship table and the Springboks’ recent record against the All Blacks paints a true picture about Scott Robertson’s men.
South Africa are the number one ranked side while they have also claimed back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles.
The Boks achieved that with a 12-11 triumph in the final in 2023, which at the time was their second successive victory over New Zealand following their 35-7 demolition at Twickenham prior to the global tournament.
Four successive wins
Since then, Rassie Erasmus’ side have continued to impress and sit atop the Rugby Championship table having extended their winning run against the All Blacks to four.
New Zealand’s reversal in Cape Town was their third in this year’s southern hemisphere competition, sparking a debate about where Robertson’s men stand in the world game.
However, former Scotland, Leinster and Waratahs coach Williams is not one of the doubters.
“The truth is that New Zealand rugby is not in a state of devastation. It is just that the Springboks are the best team in the world and New Zealand are now number two,” the Australian wrote in his Irish Times column.
Williams then went on to praise the Springboks and head coach Erasmus for their achievements, but the 64-year-old doesn’t believe that they are way ahead of the rest.
“The World Cup is the only true measure of the global rugby market. All other metrics are meaningless,” he wrote.
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“The Springboks are back-to-back world champions because their team is packed with a collection of superior athletes, with almost zero weaknesses, led by a brilliant coach who has created a culture that has maximised their collective talent.
“That said, their World Cup final victory was by a single point, against a 14-man New Zealand team. Hardly an obliteration. Then, in the first Test in Johannesburg, the margin was the awarding of a highly-controversial Springbok try. New Zealand are behind the Boks – but not by much.
“What the Kiwi doomsayers are not admitting is that all four games were sensational contests. Dramatically close, full of skill, passion and entertainment.
“Here is the truth. The margins between the top five teams across the globe are paper-thin. Which is great for our game.”
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Super Rugby the issue?
During the inquest into the All Blacks’ disappointing run of form, which has seen them lose three of their past four matches prior to Saturday’s clash with the Wallabies, questions were raised about Super Rugby Pacific.
New Zealand centurion Mils Muliaina has been one of the critics, claiming that it is not good enough preparation for internationals, but Williams disagrees that Robertson’s side are being negatively impacted by the competition.
“The other lie surrounding the non-demise of New Zealand rugby is that at the Super Rugby level, the Kiwis are only playing against the weakness of Australian rugby, while the South Africans are benefiting from the joys of the United Rugby Championship (URC),” he wrote.
“Firstly many of the current Springbok squad play in Japan, England and France, so they do not play in the URC.
“However, unlike the Kiwis and the Australians, South Africa selects their team from all competitions.
“Australia and New Zealand only select players from their Super Rugby franchises.
“All four Australian Super Rugby teams defeated a New Zealand team in this year’s Super competition. So, to suggest the Kiwis are not getting competition from the Australian teams is false.”
Robertson needs time
Such is the pressure and expectation that goes with the All Blacks job, Robertson has received criticism despite being just a few games into his reign.
Certain selections and performances, as well as the game plan employed, have all been questioned, but Williams insists that Robertson and New Zealand cannot be judged in comparison to Erasmus and the Boks.
“The simplified explanation that New Zealand is in decline does not take into account that this group of Springboks have a deep relationship with their coach, stretching back nine (editor’s note: six) seasons,” he added.
“Just as the fabulous New Zealand World Cup-winning teams of the past had a powerful relationship with their long-term coaches Graham Henry and Steve Hansen, so do the Boks believe in the leadership of Rassie Erasmus, who has been at the helm of the Springboks since February 2018, winning two World Cups and a Lions series.”
