SA’s running rugby revolution is getting it very, very wrong

Last weekend, South Africa celebrated as its local teams won five matches in a single round of Super Rugby for the first time in its history.

That wasn’t the most exciting thing, apparently.

People were excited because the six teams scored 25 tries, suggesting South African rugby is trying to play in a more attacking manner.

But upon closer inspection, local rugby is actually getting this cultural change very wrong.

Also read: Boks can take leaf out of the Sharks’ book, says Allister Coetzee

The problem with South African rugby teams down the years has been that they don’t balance aspects of their play all that well.

Ironically enough, the Lions – considered the best side in the country – are a very good example.

There’s no doubt Johan Ackermann’s men have become a skilful and potent attacking side.

They scored eight tries last weekend against the Waratahs.

But they also conceded five of them.

It continues a curious trend.

In 2015, the Lions finished eighth and improved to second in 2016.

Yet last year, they conceded more tries than in 2015.

In the process of becoming a better attacking team, the Johannesburg-based franchise has neglected to build on a very good defensive system they developed two years ago.

It’s a typically South African thing: work on one aspect, forget about the other.

There’s currently nothing to celebrate about local rugby’s running rugby because it’s woefully unbalanced.

It’s an unpopular statement to make in an era where most rugby watchers want to see tries and tries and tries.

But this is not how a team wins tight matches at the highest level against the best teams.

The Lions’ entertaining 55-36 win over the ‘Tahs was nothing more than glorified rugby league.

There was no willingness from either side to keep their defence watertight and precious little structure.

The Lions made 39 handling errors, missed 14 of their 87 tackles and conceded 18 turnovers and still won by 19 points.

The Stormers fumbled the ball 34 times and conceded 17 turnovers; the Cheetahs had butter fingers 28 times and conceded 15 turnovers.

Yet both were allowed to win because their opponents were equally clumsy.

South African rugby has a massive problem in terms of defence coaching at the moment.

In general, local players tackle well – South Africa’s top three sides’ tackle completion rate is above 87%.

But they still let opponents score because they don’t organise themselves effectively enough.

Defence coaches aren’t employed to teach a player to tackle, they’re there to develop a system of organisation that keeps opponents out.

The Lions didn’t concede three soft tries because they can’t tackle.

Neither did the Stormers concede one when the Jaguares only had 13 men on the field.

And let’s rather not even discuss the Bulls’ shocking defending.

It’s down to there being no pattern or structure to their defence.

That’s one of the main reasons why the Springboks were so terrible last year – the leading players’ aren’t exposed to sophisticated defence systems because the local expertise isn’t there.

Local unions desperately need to invest more in this area.

Ironically then, it’s the most “boring” side of the weekend – the Sharks – who probably have the most viable way of playing.

They defended well themselves and only scored their winning try in the dying seconds when the Brumbies finally slipped up.

Attacking rugby isn’t about scoring eight tries like the Lions, it’s about scoring a fabulous try when it matters the most like the Sharks did.

Because that is what truly competitive rugby is about – trying to break down a defence that’s supposed to unbreakable.

South Africa needs to keep that perspective if they are to win World Cups and Rugby Championships again.

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