Springboks: Nick Mallett reveals which part of Andre Esterhuizen’s game has improved since moving to the forwards
Ex-Springboks coach Nick Mallett (inset) and Boks hybrid player Andre Esterhuizen in action against Wales.
Nick Mallett hailed the performance of Springboks hybrid player Andre Esterhuizen in Saturday’s thrashing of Wales and revealed what part of his game he has improved since moving to the forwards.
South Africa were in a rampant mood in their final Autumn Nations Series Test of the year as they delivered a clinical performance en route to a one-sided 73-0 victory over Wales at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Although the end result was overshadowed somewhat by a red card to veteran second-row Eben Etzebeth for an eye-gouge on Alex Mann in the game’s dying moments, the world champions delivered an overall performance with official player of the match Esterhuizen leading the way with a superb all-round showing.
The Boks finished with a perfect record during the Autumn Nations Series, as apart from their demolition of Wales, they also clinched impressive victories over Japan (61-7), France (32-17), Italy (32-14) and Ireland (24-13).
Esterhuizen was involved in all of the Boks’ aforementioned Tests as a hybrid player off the replacements bench. That meant he came off the bench and played on the flank while also featuring in his usual position at inside centre on attack.
The 31-year-old, who is 1.94 metres tall and weighs 114 kilograms, has made a smooth transition to his new role and ex-Boks head coach Mallett believes his recent stint amongst the forwards has improved his physicality, which was always of a high standard, when he was selected at inside centre again for the Wales Test.
Ahead of the clash with Wales, Mallett urged the Boks to use their “usual rugby template” in the encounter, and afterwards he said he was happy that they did just that, despite it being an understrength Wales side, while also singing Esterhuizen’s praises.
‘We did it exactly the right way’
“I think a Test team has to go out there and has to beat the opposition,” he told the Talking Boks podcast with Brenden Nel. And we did it exactly the right way, where we were direct the entire game.
“We used our forwards to get momentum. They weren’t able to tackle us back.
“So the ball was always on the front foot. The timing of the runs were better. We could have scored more points.
Ironically, we scored a lot, but we could have scored more because we missed a couple more opportunities. But what I liked about it was the intensity of the Boks, the fact that they stuck to their tasks, that they didn’t allow Wales to get back in the game when they did get into situations close to our line.
“We defended our line with the same ferocity as if we’d been defending against New Zealand.
“So there were some good things about it. A good way to finish the season.
You know, the fact that Wales weren’t good enough, you can often flip into a game that you win 50-35 like the All Blacks did against them or whatever it was, 50-26.
“And that’s (where) you come off the field feeling a little bit disappointed with your performance, but there’s no way that we could have been disappointed with that performance. I thought the guys really got stuck (in).
‘Better in the contact areas’
“And I thought Estherhuizen was just outstanding. His time in the forwards has just made him better in the contact areas. His go-forward.
His presentation of the ball, everything. He was good on defence. He even got a turnover close to our line, which is critical.
“It was a good performance. Sacha (Feinberg-Mngomezulu) played well. So it was just consolidating everything we’ve done this year.
“It was what the best team in the world should do against a selection, a B team type selection from Wales. Although, quite frankly, if they’d had their A team, I think they might have got 50 points anyway, because I don’t think they’ve got the strength in depth that we have.
“And the way we played and the manner with which we controlled that game was such that they don’t have a front row that competes with our first or second-string front row.
“And I think the last thing I said, I just hoped we were going to go in there and not play it like a Barbarians game, that we would just go and do the job correctly, take them on in their weak areas. We carried on kicking contestables that we dominated. We tackled them back.
“They kept on going backwards from every attack they had, and they were just never in the game. And that’s huge credit to the Springboks.”
READ MORE: Springboks: Nick Mallett urges world champions to use their ‘usual rugby template’ against Wales
