Nick Mallett says the Springboks’ 29-27 win over Argentina at Twickenham highlighted a key area for improvement.
The Boks fought back from 13-3 down late in the first half to lead 29-13 with 15 minutes remaining, before letting Los Pumas back into the game.
The former Bok coach called it “a workmanlike performance” built on forward dominance.
“We had to work really hard after the yellow card [to Canan Moodie] and their early try, but we fought back well and scored some typical Springbok tries – two from [Malcolm] Marx, two from [Cobus] Reinach,” he said on the Talking Boks podcast.
But a speculative pass from Cheslin Kolbe gifted Argentina seven points and – after a late missed penalty-goal attempt – they scored another converted try in the last play of the game.
“We were sitting pretty at 29-13, and then Cheslin threw a pass that changed the momentum,” Mallett said. “Suddenly Argentina grew another pair of legs and came hard at us.
“We ended the game under pressure, which was disappointing, but overall it’s a fantastic achievement to defend our Rugby Championship crown.”
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Game management, Mallett said, remains the big lesson.
“At 29-13 we’d broken their backs – and instead of hammering the nail in, we played into their hands. That long pass was high-risk, and we’d already been burned by something similar against Australia [at Ellis Park].
“You’ve got to know when to keep it tight, play territory and pressure, and when to move the ball.”
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Yet the former Bok coach believes South Africa’s trajectory is emphatically upward.
“We’re in a very strong place because we’re winning championships while still knowing there’s room to improve,” he said. “The second half against the All Blacks in Wellington and that 50-minute period against Argentina in Durban – that’s as good as we can play. Before, we used to celebrate just beating New Zealand. Now we’re upset when we don’t beat them away – that shows how far we’ve come.”
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Mallett said he couldn’t wait for the Springboks’ end-of-year tour, which includes matches against Japan, France, Italy, Ireland and Wales.
“By the time we get to France and Ireland, we’ll face real challenges – and I’d love to see how we handle a wet, tough day up north. We know what we can do on the front foot; now it’s about adapting.
“And I’d like to see Handré Pollard have a big game again. If he fires, it will only make Sacha [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] and Manie [Libbok] better.
“South Africa’s got phenomenal players – and finally, we’ve got a coaching setup that’s getting the best out of them.”
Photo: Sebastian Frej/Getty Images
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