Springboks v All Blacks: Four key storylines to follow as ‘set-piece war’ to ensue at Ellis Park
The Springboks take on the All Blacks at Ellis Park this weekend
The Springboks welcome the All Blacks to Ellis Park this weekend in the Rugby Championship as they seek a statement victory over their arch rivals.
Rassie Erasmus’ side comfortably won their opening fixtures against the Wallabies, with Tony Brown’s new attack embedding in nicely, but the real test of this new-look Boks side will be against the All Blacks.
Scott Robertson’s team are by no means the finished article either, and given the change in coaching staff that has gone on recently could be an entirely different prospect. However, they travel to South Africa off the back of three wins in four under ‘Razor’ and will want to put that shock Pumas defeat firmly to bed.
As always, there are plenty of things we need to be looking out for when these two sides meet, and here is a run-down of the key storylines ahead of the clash at Ellis Park.
Set-piece war
It seems a cliché that the set-piece will define the outcome of a Test match, but this time both sides will be begging for them and incredibly eager to prove a point over the other at scrum-time.
Since Robertson took the post with the All Blacks, they have become a scrum-oriented team and base a lot of their game on the platform their scrum can give them. Tamati Williams faces a huge task of getting the upper hand over Frans Malherbe, but he put on a scrummaging clinic in the Eden Park decimation of the Pumas so could easily do this again. He also will want to put down a claim for the number one jersey on a full-time basis in the absence of Ethan de Groot.
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His opposite number, Ox Nche will also be keen to prove he is the right man to wear the number one jersey too, and Erasmus has put his faith in him despite Steven Kitshoff returning to fitness. Nche was able to bully the Wallabies pack at times, however Tyrel Lomax will present a much tougher task.
Aside from this, both teams need to get their lineout firing properly. Neither side have had the most functioning lineout thus far in the Rugby Championship, and this game gives them a decent chance to make some changes.
The All Blacks will more than likely be able to call on Scott Barrett as their primary lineout option, and Sam Darry and Ethan Blackadder also added some stability to proceedings against Argentina too. For South Africa, their make-shift starting second-row will be under scrutiny in this area, but they have decent lineout jumpers on the bench too.
The set-piece will be a fascinating watch this weekend.
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s moment?
Man of the moment Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu has already proven he can do a fine job in the starting side, but you feel this game is his first major test as the number 10.
He was exceptional in the opening Test against the Wallabies, and did a decent-enough job in trying conditions a week later, but Erasmus has again put his faith in the Stormers ace and he needs to repay that with a good game. Feinberg-Mngomezulu is slotting in really nicely to this new-look attack under Tony Brown, with his desire to play fast, expansive rugby taking the Boks up another gear.
The All Blacks will be gunning for him though, but you feel if he passes this test the 10 jersey is his for the foreseeable.
Eben Etzebeth in the Bomb Squad
A late change to the Springboks side, but Eben Etzebeth will now take a spot in the infamous Bomb Squad.
The towering lock is already renowned for his sheer brutality around the park, but if unleashed in the latter stages of the game could have a monstrous impact on proceedings. The All Blacks have also become a more forward-orientated attack since Robertson has come in, and also try and utilise a decent bench to continue the work; but Etzebeth coming on for those final minutes could help swing the momentum of the game.
It’ll be interesting to see how he fares in this new role, but it’s something Springbok fans should be excited for.
Tony Brown v Tamati Ellison
The clash of attacks will be really interesting, but with this being Tamati Ellison’s first real go with the All Blacks attack it adds that extra bit of spice to events.
Ellison has been involved with the All Blacks for a few months now, but following the departure of Leon MacDonald, the rumoured ‘information overload’ could be gone and we could see a more connected attack.
With Damian McKenzie expected to retain the 10 shirt again, they will still look to play to his strengths, but it’s been the players outside of him that have seemed a tad lost in recent weeks. Rieko Ioane looks half the player we all know he can be, Jordie Barrett hasn’t hit his usual standards and even the ever-impressive Mark Tele’a has some room for improvement in this new era.
There’s no reason they can’t revert back to a free-flowing, fast attack that we’re used to, after all that’s what McKenzie thrives in, but it will likely be a stripped back, simplified version to get everyone back on the same page under this new attacking leadership.
On the flip-side, the Springboks look incredibly connected, and seem to have already clicked into Brown’s attacking structure. They are already looking far more dangerous with ball-in-hand, and are playing in completely different areas of the pitch than they were during the World Cup.
The battle of the attacks will be a really interesting watch.
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