The Springboks won at Loftus Versfeld because Morne Steyn did what he’s always done ... send the ball flying through the uprights.
But we mustn’t forget the Boks were playing against arguably the weakest Australian team in years, yet they managed to keep the Boks from scoring a try. And that, rugby fans, is what should worry every single supporter of the Boks.
How, in an era where scoring tries is put first on the agenda - thanks to the bonus point system in Super Rugby - is it possible that in a Test match in good dry conditions we see only one try being scored over 80 minutes.
That, rugby fans, is why Saturday’s Test was a huge disappoint and why the All Blacks will rule the rugby fields of the world for a very long time.
Steve Hansen’s team know how to score tries - and that’s also why they win so many rugby games.
Steyn saved the Boks with his kicking boot at Loftus, but the Aussies also handed the game to the Boks on a platter because of their inability to cross the whitewash in a dominant second half showing. Credit to the Boks for keeping them out, but heck, how the Wallabies didn’t score more than the one try, only they will know.
As for the Boks, well, they never really got close, did they? And that’s why Steyn is a banker and match-winner against a team as poor as the Wallabies - when conditions are good and favourable and familiar - but against the world’s best there is just no way the Boks will get by with just Steyn kicking the points.
The reality is the All Blacks - and we have to compare ourselves to them because they are the leaders in the game and the team every other side should look to copy - will always score a few tries so for the opposition to have a chance of toppling them they have to try match them in the tries-scored department.
Now, if the Boks can’t get a five-pointer against the Wallabies, how the heck are they going to do it against the All Blacks? Also, Hansen’s men are not only going to score one try against the Boks this weekend, like the bumbling Wallabies did last weekend.
That is why, rugby fans, we should not be happy about 99 percent of what the Boks produced at Loftus. Yes, they won the match, which they desperately needed to do, but overall they performed as averagely as they’ve done all season. The fact they didn’t score a try - unlike what they’ve done all season - nearly makes the performance worse than those we saw previously.
Bok boss Allister Coetzee will surely know his side won’t get away with a Loftus performance this weekend. So will he hope for a miracle attacking display with Steyn at 10 or change and hope Pat Lambie or even a recalled Elton Jantjies spark a back division that on Saturday didn’t look like they had a clue how to breach the defence?
Sorry, but you’re not going to get very far, or become the best, if you start thinking it’s okay to win Test matches with four penalties and two drop-goals. Somehow, the Boks have to start scoring more tries... if they don’t the All Blacks will comfortably beat them again, and again, and again.
The Star