Peter Bills: Boks' solitary try represents failure

South Africa are halfway to being a great side. But only halfway ...

Great sides don't rely just on goal kicking to win matches. Great teams may bully the opposition up front, like these Springboks, but their game plan doesn't end there, apart from a No 10 who kicks the leather off the ball.

When did you last see a Springbok side bring their fullback into the attacking line on the switch from a first phase move, the receiver searching earnestly for space? When did Peter de Villiers' side last spread the ball and set up Bryan Habana in some proper space?

When did they last go on to the field with the philosophy of utilising forward superiority as a means to an end, not the end product?

Nothing has changed in South Africa since Jake White's team won the Rugby World Cup two years ago. They smash opponents apart up front and when the inevitable pressure induces errors, they kick penalty goals. The only change is in the name. Substitute Morne Steyn for Percy Montgomery.

Overall, Australia were no more effective at taming the African forward monster than the All Blacks had been. Both imploded under the pressure.

This time, Steyn kicked seven penalties and dropped a goal. Last week against New Zealand, Steyn kicked eight penalties as well as scoring a try and converting it. In three home Tri-Nations matches, South Africa have kicked 21 penalty goals and scored just four tries.

A great side would have transformed a 23-10 half-time lead into a thumping 45-point victory. Instead, just as they allowed an outplayed New Zealand side to get back to 25-19 the previous Saturday, they let Australia close the deficit to 26-17 in the second half. Great sides do better than this.

Yesterday, Jean de Villiers became the most capped centre in South African rugby but it is as if a sparkling gem is lying a metre or two from the miner's drill and he can't see it. The world's most dynamic wing, Habana, was forced to step in as an emergency halfback to get his hands on the ball.

These Springboks are utterly squandering the genius of some of the most talented players in their esteemed history: Jean de Villiers, Jaque Fourie and Habana. One try in 80 minutes from all that territory, all that possession? That represents failure.

The Australians started superbly with an audacious try but pretty much fell away after that. James Horwill and Nathan Sharpe found dealing with Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield a thankless task. But a word of warning to the All Blacks: the Wallabies scrummaged well and began to expose John Smit's credentials as a tight-head the longer it went on.

But Australia must confront the reality that Luke Burgess may not become the next Nick Farr-Jones. He isn't as slick and clever as the great Wallaby. Will Genia's service was a big improvement when he took over.

George Smith and Richie McCaw will both probably welcome a tussle with a familiar foe after conceding several turnovers to the ferret with a cap, Springbok fetcher Heinrich Brussouw. He has been the revelation of the Tri-Nations.

Nothing is going to stop the Springboks winning this year's tournament so the All Blacks and Wallabies might just as well use the remainder of the competition to have a look at candidates for the future.

Remember, the clock is ticking for 2011. And both New Zealand and Australia are some way behind ...

* Peter Bills is a rugby writer for Independent News & Media in London