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Vincent Koch celebrated RG Snyman\u2019s try as the bomb squad thrived <\/p>\n
And against England, when the chips were down, they realised they needed to step up more than ever.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bomb squad always stands for energy,\u201d added Koch. \u201cWe needed to create a nice vibe. Putting the replacements on a bit earlier helped the boys to start to bring that energy and lift up the spirit and bring a massive work-rate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Where South Africa\u2019s replacements thrived, perhaps England\u2019s faltered just a touch.<\/p>\n
The English gameplan, devised by Steve Borthwick and perfectly executed by the players for the windy and rainy Parisian conditions, relied upon relentless kicking, winning the subsequent aerial battle, slowing the game down and dominating the set-piece. Maybe then, they could escape with a win against an objectively superior team.<\/p>\n
They kicked 93 per cent of possession away (the highest percentage of the tournament), had an average ruck speed of 6.73s (the slowest of the tournament) and had zero linebreaks (the only team to do so in a game at this tournament). They disrupted South African lineouts, turned over multiple mauls and Borthwick\u2019s decision to play his two strongest scrummaging props \u2013 Dan Cole and Joe Marler \u2013 from the start earned them scrum parity and redemption from the disaster in that facet during the 2019 World Cup final.<\/p>\n
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Ox Nche was immense from the bench against the Springboks <\/p>\n
This is a Springboks side that pride themselves on their dominance up front, as shown by opting for a scrum after calling a mark in their own 22 during the quarter-final victory over France. Of course, they won a penalty from it. Yet England were holding their own during those engagements, even thriving, and most importantly winning on the scoreboard.<\/p>\n
But the innate problem with starting your best scrummagers came to fruition in the second half. Replacement props Ellis Genge and Kyle Sinckler are far more dynamic around the park and more destructive carriers than their veteran counterparts but, with England showing no desire to run any plays more than two metres either side of the previous breakdown, those skills were negated once they came on for Marler and Cole.<\/p>\n
Instead, their inferior scrummaging was brutally exposed by a fired-up Koch and Nche, who turned parity into Springbok dominance. They won two scrums against the head, including a vital one at 15-6 down on their own line, and engineered multiple penalties on their own feed, including the most vital of all \u2013 on halfway, with 77 minutes on the clock and England leading 15-13. Pollard banged over the long kick and the rest was history.<\/p>\n
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Handre Pollard broke English hearts with his late penalty <\/p>\n
Nche was coy when asked in the mixed zone after the game what had made the difference at scrum-time in the final quarter and how he bested his opposite number, Sinckler.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is the dark arts,\u201d he smiled. \u201cIt is hard to explain to you. We had a plan for that. We knew what we were trying to achieve.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey have had a great scrum for the competition and a great hit. Our focus was surviving that and applying pressure. Our mentality for every scrum is to get a penalty if we can. If they do survive, we play out the back and get into our shape.\u201d<\/p>\n
The \u201cdark arts\u201d ultimately won the day, South Africa survived a second straight one-point knockout match and must now plan how to overcome the All Blacks in a battle to be the first side to win four men\u2019s Rugby World Cups.<\/p>\n
Luckily, they have a not-so-secret weapon. \u201cWe are the bomb squad.\u201d <\/p>\n