The Springboks intend to utilize the capabilities of Ox Nche in the scrum battle and provide powerful drives to create decisive forward momentum against the All Blacks on Saturday. This match will be the toughest test for the Springboks this season as they face the All Blacks in the first test match of the greatest rugby rivalry at Ellis Park stadium, starting Saturday afternoon at 5:00 PM.
Despite the championship team confidently defeating England, Scotland, and Wales in the home Nations Championship, the confrontation with the New Zealand representatives will be completely different. The Kiwis are likely to match them physically and attempt to surpass them in key areas.
IOL Sport analyzed the main aspects where the Boks might gain an advantage.
Scrums
Ox Nche has returned from injury, and Vilko Lowe is on the other side of the Springboks' scrum. The team is ready for the start of the day's first match. It is not surprising if the Boks try to organize the scrum early in the game to get two props and hooker Malcolm Marx into play. This is a tactic they have used previously to gain early momentum.
This could be an area where the world champions can achieve absolute dominance. With two more reserve props and a hungry reserve tighthead, they are ready to apply pressure when needed.
Lineouts and Rucking Mauls
Marx has a strong desire to score tries using powerful rucking mauls, but his primary task is to ensure accurate ball delivery in the lineout to find jumpers such as Juan Northe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, and Eben Etzebeth. After this, the Boks have demonstrated their ingenuity by using various types of plays after an accurate lineout.
Whether it is organizing a bulky maul, which is much harder to defend under the new rules, creating clever combinations along the sideline, or attacking from the back, smart moves will certainly be made by the Boks in set-piece play.
Aerial Attacks
Accurate kicks will be crucial to demonstrating their superiority in the air. This depends on the shoulders of midfielder Grant Williams, winger Sachi Feinberg-Mongomasezulu, and fullback Damian Willemse. Smart passes will allow their wingers numerous opportunities to chase high balls and contest in the air.
Even winning the ball back after an attack from broken play has been one of the Boks' strengths. Nevertheless, they will have to face winger Will Jordan, who is one of the best players in the world at handling high balls.
Picks and Go
Route number one, as it is often called, could be an excellent backup plan for the Springboks if they want to change their game plan. Among the strong ball carriers are Jasper Wiese, Eben Etzebeth, Marx, and Pieter-Steph du Toit, who are capable of causing chaos in the contact zone and open play.
However, they will have to act strategically when carrying the ball into contact. The All Blacks have excellent players capable of securing the ball, and they are physically ready for this challenge. Therefore, smart ball carrying, without isolation, could be a key moment.