Former Scotland head coach Matt Williams believes the Springboks have “really hit a wall” with their game plan ahead of the upcoming Rugby World Cup.
The reigning world champions were well beaten by the All Blacks at Mount Smart Stadium in Auckland as their Rugby Championship hopes look dashed.
That result has prompted Williams, now a television pundit, to criticize South Africa’s style of play as he feels they are fighting better teams.
not coping well
“I think South Africa’s game plan has really hit a wall,” he declared when appearing as a guest on of the balltalking to the show’s host, Joe Molloy.
“They beat Australia very easily, but Australia is very poor at the moment, very, very poor. But South Africa’s game plan against the big boys like New Zealand, France and Ireland, is not going well against those teams.
“I think they need a big rethink of what they’re doing before the World Cup.”
Williams was especially critical of South Africathe lack of creativity and expansion of his game, feeling that Lukhanyo Am was wasted against the all blacks.
“Lukhanyo Am is one of the best outdoor centers, if not the best outdoor center in the world. They just called him on Saturday. You just didn’t watch the game,” he said.
“They’re playing to some of their strengths, which are their forwards, but that won’t mix with the top four.”
Australian Williams was asked by the show’s presenter Molloy if he thought the Springboks’ game plan had developed since their 2019 World Cup triumph.
He felt that Rassie Erasmus’s team tried their luck against England in the final in Japan, but believes there has not been enough growth in their game.
“In the final, they did,” Williams replied to the Springboks who switched their arm in 2019. “They played a bit more as they went on, but since the Lions series in the middle of this World Cup cycle, the South Africans they have show very little expansion in their game, except when they are on top or far behind.
“When they face the top three teams, they don’t even it out, it just doesn’t work for them, and I think they’re in a real conflict.”
Article Springboks ‘in real struggle’ ahead of Rugby World Cup and need ‘big rethink’ first appeared on Planetrugby.com.
