The dynamic Springboks player, tighthead Zach Potten, demonstrated powerful play against England's defenders during the Nations Cup match held at Ellis Park stadium.
Keegan Smith's long knee injury has undoubtedly weakened the famous Springboks 'Bomb Squad'. For years, Smith brought incredible energy, speed, and strength to the Bok squad in the second half of matches. His ability to fiercely compete in the contact area to steal or slow down the opponent's ball is legendary, and his experience in the seven-metre format allows him to cover the entire field as a supporting runner with exceptional awareness and foresight.
The closest player to Smith in the current Springboks squad is Paul de Villiers, whose form improved after every Nations Cup match. However, it is likely he will start against the All Blacks at Ellis Park after captain Siya Kolisi sustained an injury during the match against Argentina in Buenos Aires on Saturday.
The Boks have other options in the backline, such as Marco van Staden and Ben-Jason Dixon, but they do not possess Smith's unique dynamism. Nevertheless, the solution to the Keegan Smith issue might lie in the front row, where young prop Zach Potten has made several important contributions as a substitute player.
Main Rugby Match of the Tour
At 22 years old, Potten, a former captain of the Springboks junior team, has established himself as one of the main contenders for the number 18 spot in the first match against the All Blacks at Ellis Park, competing with Thomas du Toit and Wilko Louw. His consistent development throughout the Nations Cup and strong performance in the second half against Argentina last week have strengthened his position in Rassie Erasmus' plans.
When Potten was introduced to the 'Bomb Squad' at José Amalfitani Stadium, he provided the necessary physical impetus and work rate to change the course of the tense confrontation in South Africa's favour. Although his skills in set-piece play are still developing under scrummaging coach Duane Human, Potten, like Smith, possesses a versatile set of open-field skills, making him a formidable prospect on the bench.
The Stormers' strength lies in his explosive ball carrying; he constantly gains meters through sheer leg power and post-contact battle. It is worth noting that he is also adept at handling the ball softly and has distribution vision, allowing for accurate passes and back passes, adding dynamism to the Springboks' attack system. Furthermore, Potten demonstrates enormous work rate in the contact area, tirelessly clearing rucks to maintain clean possession or breaking through with a 'pick-and-go'. His understanding of the game in these tight areas is outstanding.
His defensive statistics are also very high. According to Grubbr Stats, Potten leads all South Africans in the United Rugby Championship for dominant tackles, averaging 3.9 per 80 minutes. Even more impressively, he led the entire URC in the percentage of dominant tackles, showing a phenomenal 28% of hits that drove opposing attackers backward. While his scrummaging skills will continue to improve, Potten's complete open-field skillset—a combination of fierce defense, contact area work, and modern ball carrying—makes him an ideal weapon for the biggest stage at Ellis Park and a man capable of igniting the 'Bomb Squad' in Smith's absence.
