Victor Matfield believes the Springboks could show a more expansive side to their game during November’s Nations Championship Tests.
The former Bok captain expects the world champions to move beyond the physical, pressure-based approach that helped them respond to their opening defeat against the All Blacks during the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.
Speaking on the Rugby Rivals podcast, Matfield suggested the end-of-year tour could offer a glimpse of how the influence of attack coach Tony Brown is shaping the team’s game leading up to next year’s World Cup.
“We really went back to our old DNA in the Rivalry tour where we were really physical, we were direct, we played the pressure game,” he said.
“I think we might see on the end-of-year tour a bit more of Tony Brown coming in, more expansive and having a go.
“We still need to grow that part of the game; last year we were almost getting there, and then this year, after that first loss against New Zealand, we just went back to ‘if we need to win a game, this is what we’re going to do’.
“I think Rassie would like us to play a little bit more on the end-of-year tour and just to grow that side of your game as well.”
TONY: Boks have got everything right
The Springboks will face Italy in Turin (7 November), France in Paris (13 November) and Ireland in Dublin (21 November) before the finals weekend in London (27-29 November).
Matfield also expects Erasmus to give a handful of young players opportunities, with several having impressed during the opening rounds of the URC and Investec Champions Cup.
“There are still some combinations that we can get better,” he said. “There are a few young players who stood out in the Champions Cup again; does he give them opportunities?”
HEYNEKE: Rudolph deserves Bok chance
However, Matfield warned against making wholesale changes, arguing that emerging players need to be tested alongside experienced campaigners as the Boks prepare for the World Cup.
“We have done it a few times in the past before a World Cup where we would send a complete B side over to Australia, New Zealand, and they always got smashed,” he said.
“You want these kids coming through who could have a big influence on the World Cup to play with the best players. So you only want two or three changes; they get the opportunity to play in that team that understands how to win games, and then they can show what they can do. So I think we’ll see that.”
Photo: Floris van Schouwenburg/Gallo Images
The post Big Vic: Boks to play more Tonyball appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.