Over recent years, the South African senior team has developed a clearly identified but
highly effective and successful playing strategy. It involves, in broad terms, exerting
territorial pressure on its opponents through tactical kicking combined with intense
physical pressure while minimising risk and effectively converting opponents errors into
points - Possession is not a priority.
This means that an analysis of South Africa’s matches invariably fall into a clearly
identifiable profile
¨ they obtain less possession than their opponents.
¨ as a result, they make fewer rucks
¨ and make fewer passes than their opponents
¨ but make more kicks because of the importance attached to territorial advantage
This approach is then enhanced by a highly competent scrum and a hugely successful lineout
(a) Possession
Over the series and as anticipated, South Africa obtained less possession than the other
two teams. In two of their matches, they gained just 39% of possession as against their
opponents’ 61% but still won both games. Lack of possession therefore was not an
impediment to success.
(b) Rucks/Mauls
Lack of possession meant that South Africa made fewer rucks than Australia and New
Zealand but they also rucked at a lower rate ie they made fewer rucks per minute’s
possession. Only one of their 10 tries contained more than one phase.
(b) Passing
Since passing is a product of possession, a team that obtains less possession than its
opponents almost invariably (but not always) passes less. South Africa confirmed this
once again – but to an extent that has almost certainly not been seen before in the
professional era.
¨ The average passes per game of 83 made by South Africa was the lowest by any
team in at least the last 6 years of Tri Nations– (New Zealand and Australia each
averaged 125 - or 50% more)
¨ Not one of the 10 tries scored by South Africa contained more than three passes
(Australia had 3 such tries, New Zealand 6)
¨ 7 of South Africa’s 10 tries comprised 1 pass or less
What was even more remarkable was that in one match against New Zealand, which
South Africa won, they made a total of just 43 passes, an exceptionally low figure as
illustrated in the following table
(It is important to note that only once in recent rugby history has a team come close to the
figure of 43 – and that was also South Africa who made just 49 passes when winning the
first test against the British and Irish Lions in June this year)
The overall South Africa approach of minimizing risk and exerting pressure was enhanced
in other ways
¨ Over 70% of restarts were kicked long - thereby exerting territorial pressure - which
contrasted with Australia’s 35% and New Zealand’s 29%
¨ and despite having less possession than Australia and New Zealand, they
maintained territorial pressure by making made more kicks out of hands, kicking at a
rate that was 40% greater than their opponents.
Pressure was also maintained through other sources
¨ South Africa possessed the ability to kick successful penalties from inside their own
half making possible the 60 metre penalty goal
¨
Most of South Africa’s scoring came in the first half so that in 5 of their 6 they had
the psychological benefit of leading at half time.
It was however through the lineout that South Africa managed to maintain a constant
pressure throughout the entire 80 minutes of the game. Their lineout figures were hugely
impressive
¨ their success rate was 88% compared with 78% and 74% for the other 2 countries
¨ they had a success rate of 38% on their opposition throw –
an exceptionally high figure that contrasted with the 10% and
15% of their opponents
¨ their lineout was stolen only 6 times compared with Australia’s 16 and New Zealand’s 14
¨ they stole their opponents lineout 24 times. Australia and
New Zealand managed just 6 each. this superiority was recognised by the other two teams who only challenged the South Africa lineout on 44% of occasions while Australia’s was challenged on 65% of
occasions and New Zealand’s on 58%.
¨ conversely, South Africa challenged their opponent’s lineout on 64% of occasions compared with Australia’s and New Zealand’s 49% and 56% respectively.
The ability to dominate the lineout was one of the core elements of a playing formula that
is currently producing success for South Africa.
Only 1 of New Zealand’s 9 tries contained less than 3 passes whereas in South Africa’s case it was 9 out 10.
