The Springboks’ strategy down the ages has always included sharp and long goalkicking, and they almost always had one or two fine exponents.
But it seems they’ve arrived at this Rugby World Cup with a major hole in the operation, as poor goalkicking played a significant part in their pool loss to Ireland.
Another strange facet in the epic Paris game was the Boks’ penchant for flinging the ball wide to a wing with nowhere much to go. The reigning champs also lacked precision near the Irish tryline.
WINNER/LOSER: The Rugby World Cup fans/premature celebrations
Said it before, will say it again. The fans are making, or saving, this Rugby World Cup.
The atmosphere generated by, in the main, the Irish fans in Paris was absolutely stunning.
Take that away, and you were left with lot of messy and stop-start-stop rugby. But it simply didn’t matter if you let the atmosphere take over as two mighty teams traded blows.
It almost looked and sounded like a final, the way the Irish fans in particular but also the players - in a more modest way - celebrated afterwards. Some Ireland players were dancing, another carried a kid on shoulders. Incredible.
Then again... triumphalism helped bring England crashing down at the last World Cup, when they bombed in the final after their famous semifinal win over the All Blacks.
I suspect this Irish side have got a better handle on their preparations though, and they have plenty of time to refocus before the sudden death games.
They also have the obsessive Johnny Sexton driving them along.
This is a reason why I have grown to dislike the game. There was a pivotal scrum penalty awarded to Ireland in front of the Springboks’ posts - from which they kicked a goal - with no explanation (that I could discern) about what it was for. We deserve better. On such unexplained matters the actual tournament could be decided.
LOSERS: The Warriors, if they don’t...
This is supposed to be a rugby column, but...
The Warriors had a shocker in Brisbane where the Broncos’ middle forwards - and in particular the runaway train Payne Haas - crushed the Auckland side’s NRL grand final dream.
Addin Fonua-Blake has been a star of the 2023 season but he had relatively poor finals games against Newcastle and Brisbane.
He was probably out of gas, with little wonder. The big Warriors prop with terrific footwork has carried too much of a load this season.
The Warriors need another outstanding prop in their squad if they are to realise their ultimate ambitions.
Likewise, the truth about their centres was exposed at Suncorp Stadium where Herbie Farnworth had a stunner for the home side.
Rocco Berry and Adam Pompey have not had bad seasons, but they are only adequate by the highest NRL standards.
There is hope, although no guarantees, that former club fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s return will sort that problem out.
WINNER: Common sense maybe
The Warriors’ outstanding dummy half Wayde Egan might consider retirement. He suffers far too many head knocks. It is excruciating watching him go off the field all the time in a daze.
Wayde Egan took another sickening blow to the head against the Broncos. Photo / Photosport
WINNER: The Warriors
Created a whole new atmosphere at Mt Smart in 2023, in what shapes as a watershed for Kiwi sport. The 42-12 Brisbane disaster shouldn’t overshadow that.
LOSER: The Kiwi Sky commentary
The big showdown in Brisbane would have been a better spectacle if the gun Australian NRL commentators and experts had covered it.
Sorry, but our mob simply aren’t remotely in the same class as colourful Andrew Voss and co, who also get good information from the sideline.
There was also a disconcerting disconnect between the Kiwi match-callers and the crowd atmosphere in Brisbane.
WINNER: The Broncos (I hope)
Brisbane play a fabulous brand of league, and I hope they beat Penrith in the NRL grand final.
The Panthers are a machine, and much-loved Warriors old boy Ivan Cleary now stands as one of the great coaches in the history of southern hemisphere sport. But the Panthers are boring.
Chris Rattue has been a journalist since 1980 and is one of the most-respected opinion writers in New Zealand sports journalism.
