South Africa prop Ox Nche remarked that the Springboks deviated from their game plan during the second half of their 22-38 loss to Australia in the Rugby Championship on Saturday, and coach Rassie Erasmus was even more straightforward in his criticism.
The reigning champions were anticipated to triumph against the Wallabies on home turf at Ellis Park, but the visitors pulled off an unexpected win as the Boks lost their defensive edge after captain Siya Kolisi suffered an injury.
Nche, expressing his frustration about the outcome, stated afterward, “At halftime, the discussion was essentially to adhere to the strategy and carry it out, as it was effective. But in the second half, we completely went off the plan.
“They recorded three straightforward tries early on, and they didn’t come from solid set pieces. They were simply more dynamic and prepared, and they took advantage quickly.
“It was as if they were better ready than we were, and they capitalized on every chance they received, while we failed to do the same. Everyone started to follow their individual agendas instead of sticking to our collective strategy.”
Springboks director of rugby Rassie Erasmus was characteristically forthright in his evaluation of the game, stating, “This might be one of the most humiliating press conferences I’ve participated in for some time.”
We offered them a couple of easy opportunities – a steal from a Manie Libbok pass, an errant pass from André Esterhuizen that gifted them possession, allowing them to re-enter the contest.
“It was not solely about strategy – they also overpowered us physically. As the match progressed, their strength increased. At this altitude, that’s meant to be our advantage. This highlights what (Wallabies coach) Joe Schmidt is establishing there.”
He further expressed: “What’s most disappointing is that they secured five log points, and we didn’t even manage to fight back for the bonus point. So we sit at zero points while they sit at five. I could try to dress this up to sound positive and respectful, but we performed really poorly on that day.”
Looking forward to the upcoming match against the Aussies next weekend, Nche indicated that there would be no space for complacency: “Our goal is to win the Rugby Championship. This next weekend is a crucial Test, and we need to amass as many points as possible.”
“For me, that translates to more effort, additional preparation, and being even better equipped. It’s about repeating what worked last week and improving upon it. All we can do is implement our strategies more effectively.”
Erasmus took a more straightforward approach, emphasizing that the coaching staff also bears some responsibility: “We must first evaluate ourselves before directing blame at the players.”
“From now until next Saturday, we’ll endure significant criticism, but to be fair, we accept praise when things go well, so we must also endure criticism when they go poorly. We’re quite disappointed, feeling sorrow for our fans and players.”
“A player can’t simply act on impulse; we direct them and determine the combinations. If things don’t go as planned, perhaps the combinations were incorrect, the strategies miscalibrated, or the half-time discussion ineffective.”
