Jean de Villiers says Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu’s kicking game against Japan was the best he’s seen from the flyhalf.
The Springboks ran in nine tries in a 61-7 win at Wembley, but De Villiers was most impressed by their work off the boot.
The Boks kicked 36 times, with Feinberg-Mngomezulu responsible for 11 of those – and, crucially, for turning kicks into attacking pressure rather than aimless punts.
“From the moment Siya [Kolisi] scored the first try, it felt like we were the better team,” De Villiers said on the Boks Unpacked X The Verdict podcast. “Japan’s threat was always going to be out wide, but for us it was: could we dominate the kicking battle, the aerials, the ruck and the set piece? We ticked those boxes.
“Our kicking game is giving us huge returns at the moment. It’s not just pressure on opposition ball – we’re also really safe when they kick on us. Sacha’s kicking was excellent – the best I’ve seen from him – and his intent to win the ball back off the kick is brilliant.
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“Everything with this Bok team is a contest: scrum, breakdown, aerials. That’s what makes us so tough to play against,” the former Bok centre added. “Selection now is horses for courses; conditions and opponents will decide which combinations we pick, but the template is clear.”
Former Stormers coach Robbie Fleck echoed the praise.
“The aerial contest is a huge part of where South African rugby is dominating right now – Ethan [Hooker], Kurt-Lee [Arendse], Cheslin [Kolbe] – all putting massive pressure in the air. Kurt-Lee was outstanding: transitions, aerial work, defence – for me he was right up there for Man of the Match.”
Stormers forwards coach Rito Hlungwani said Japan’s discipline cracked under sustained pressure.
“You can’t stop five-metre mauls forever, and when you’re forced to make that many tackles, mistakes happen. A big shift is our carry height. We’re carrying lower, winning the height battle and it’s forcing high tackles.
“The Boks’ intensity on attack and defence is relentless. With Tony Brown in, there’s more variation – multiple options taking the ball flat, quick reloads – and it’s hard to read who gets the pass.”
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The Boks now face France in Paris on Saturday in a rematch of the 2023 World Cup quarter-final at the same venue, where the world champions edged the hosts 29-28.
“The plan doesn’t change in Paris – make the pack work, win the kick battle, defend ferociously at the breakdown, and play in the right areas,” said De Villiers.
Fleck agreed: “They’ll take comfort from the plan that pushed France close in 2022 and got it done in 2023. It’s the same pillars: aerial pressure, breakdown heat and set-piece accuracy.”
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Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
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