­
  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER

SA Rugby magazine

South African rugby news, interviews, videos and more. Covering the Springboks, Bulls, Stormers, Sharks, Cheetahs and Lions, as well as schools and club rugby.

Primary Menu Search
  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER
You are here: Home ∼ Three key facets of play for Boks

Three key facets of play for Boks

The Boks contest against Japan The Boks
Published on October 16, 2019

CRAIG LEWIS looks at three key areas of the game that will be decisive in this Sunday’s quarter-final between the Springboks and Japan in Tokyo.

Forward battle

Yes, OK, no surprises here. But there is no denying that this is an especially important battle up front that the Boks will be relishing. This is a Springbok pack that has the power and strength to dominate the scrum contest and maul Japan into submission.

It should be a simple modus operandi for the Boks. More than ever, this is a knockout clash where the Springboks will want to play to their traditional strengths of outmuscling Japan in the tight exchanges, while using the set piece and maul as a weapon of mass destruction.

By using their big ball-carriers, the Springboks will look to dominate the gainline battle and ensure that their halfbacks can dictate proceedings off front-foot battle. By keeping it tight up front, the Boks will aim to deprive Japan of possession and attacking opportunities, while searching to win penalties through a powerful scrum and maul.

READ: Boks must slow Japan tempo, not match it

Aerial contest

Faf de Klerk is one of the Springboks who has faced a fair bit of criticism for the inconsistency of his box kicks. Similarly, Willie le Roux hasn’t quite had the same swagger as a playmaker, while he also hasn’t been quite so reliable with his important left boot. Both these players will want to step up on Sunday, while Handre Pollard will obviously have a key role to play when kicking both out of hand and at goal.

Japan wings Kotaro Matsushima and Kenki Fukuoka have received due praise at the World Cup for their sensational attack, but the diminutive duo should be tested under the high ball. What the Boks will want to ensure is that any kick to these players is highly contestable. Cheslin Kolbe has proven himself to be an effective nuisance when it comes to the kick-chase game, while Makazole Mapimpi has also honed his aerial game.

The weather forecast suggests it will be an overcast and muggy evening in Tokyo on Sunday, while there may be some rain around the day before the game, and so the handling of the ball will be a challenge. The Springboks won’t be expecting Japan to kick on them at all, but they should certainly be looking to test the hosts when it comes to the aerial contest, while also turning Japan’s attacking players around with kicks into space deep in their territory.

ALSO READ: Kolbe excited for reunion with Japanese wings

Bok defence vs Japan attack

It’s gone a little unnoticed that the Springboks in fact finished the pool stage as the leading team when it came to points and tries scored, but this Sunday’s quarter-final will primarily place a focus on the effectiveness of their high-risk, high-reward defence.

The Boks’ ‘outside-in rush defence’ has put the All Blacks attack under pressure in recent times, but there have also been occasions when top attacking teams have managed to exploit space out wide. In those instances, a massive onus then falls on the shoulder of the Boks’ cover defenders.

Former All Blacks flyhalf, and now Japan attack coach, Tony Brown will have undoubtedly spent plenty of time looking at ways for the home team to make best use of their attacking superstars, while investigating ways to break down the Boks’ aggressive defensive wall.

The Springboks will be looking to squeeze Japan when the Brave Blossoms have possession, while ensuring their fleet-footed players don’t have much time or space on the ball. If Japan have no joy getting the ball to the edges, then they may look to the tactic they used regularly against Scotland, which was to try to set runners away with an inside pass.

Again, it will up to the Boks to ensure that they have the defensive organisation and work rate to shut Japan down, and force errors through suffocating defence.

Playing Selector: Bok tight-five predictions 

Photo: Steve Haag Sports via Hollywoodbets

Posted in Columns, Craig Lewis, Springboks, Teams, Top headlines, Tournaments, Uncategorized, World Cup Tagged World Cup

Post by Craig Lewis

Craig Lewis

Check out Blackout Rugby Manager HERE!

← Previous Next →

Sevens’ party falls flat

World Rugby shouldn’t have messed with a winning sevens formula, writes SIMON...

Draining format clogs Blitzboks’ blockage

A protracted schedule took the wind out of South Africa's sails at...

England cut Eddie, Razor to stop the bleeding

England have made the rash decision to part ways with coach Eddie...

Rassie ref hom in die rooi

Rassie Erasmus is hardly the embarrassment that some are making him out...

Cut and paste Kurt-Lee for Kolbe

Kurt-Lee Arendse ticks all the right boxes to replace the injured Cheslin...

Rassie auditions for England job

Rassie Erasmus has made the most calculated of public job applications to...

Boks need to make mentality adjustment

The Springboks need to lose their underdog mentality, writes SIMNIKIWE XABANISA in...

Kolbe’s worth every penny

Cheslin Kolbe’s big-money move to Toulon should be welcomed as a massive...

‘Bok gameplan, when executed correctly, is hard to match’

The opportunity to play against the All Blacks is a career highlight...

Five key areas the Boks need to dominate for first victory

SA Rugby magazine highlights five crucial areas the Boks will need to...

Top six: Best and worst foreign imports

SARugbymag.co.za identifies six of the best and worst foreign players to play...

Column: When context is needed

As highlighted by the Argentina controversy, ‘cancel culture’ needs a spoonful of...

Dark cloud hangs over WP Rugby

The problems at Western Province Rugby are layered, and everyone involved needs...

From the mag: Foreign Favourites

As Vodacom Super Rugby turned 25 this year, JON CARDINELLI picks an...

Bulls rookies to watch

After a massive exodus of players the Vodacom Bulls will be eager...

Analysis: The new suffocate-and-strangle game

For the Boks to emerge as World Cup winners, they need to...

VIEW MORE
  • Bonus-point Bulls douse Dragons
  • Munster maul luckless Lions
  • Stormers sign off 2022 in style
  • Sharks carve Bulls on New Year’s Eve

Jacques Burger’s Perfect XV

    BKT United Rugby Championship, Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland 8/1/2023 Glasgow Warriors vs DHL Stormers Stormers' Damian Willemse Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Craig Watson
  • Highlights: Heartbreak for Stormers in Glasgow thriller

###


COVID-19 Corona Virus
South African Resource Portal

African Insider
African Insider News

ABOUT

  • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Videos
  • Player Features
  • Subscribe
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy

TOURNAMENTS

    • Rugby Championship
    • Super Rugby
    • Currie Cup
    • Varsity Cup
    • Gold Cup
    • Schools
    • Six Nations
    • Champions Cup
    • World Cup
    • Challenge Cup

OPINION

  • Mallett on SuperSport
  • Cardinelli column
  • Lewis column
  • Xabanisa column
  • Borchardt column
  • Superbru

Primary Menu

  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER