The controversial decision of the Springboks!

Don’t spend too much time looking for fullbacks on the South Africa bench for the clash against Ireland. There will be scrum-half Cobus Reinach… and that’s it. The Springboks thus opted for a 7-1 bench, with seven forwards out of the eight replacements.

This is a subject that is debated in the world of rugby. For some, the world champions distort the spirit of the game, and this configuration made Matt Williams jump after the duel between South Africa and New Zealand this summer in preparation.

???????? THE SPRINGBOKS HAVE NAMED A 7-1 SPLIT ON THE BENCH TO FACE IRELAND! #RWC2023 #RSAvIRE #RSA pic.twitter.com/giNjBPrJ1O

— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) September 19, 2023

“The South Africans are just abusing the bench at the moment, the former Scotland coach railed in the OTB Monday Night Rugby podcast. The bench came for safety reasons. People weren’t showing up for positions they weren’t trained for, so we weren’t putting the backs on the front line. Everything was done for a reason. (…) They had seven forwards (against New Zealand). Seven forwards… really? Seriously? World Rugby must act accordingly. »

The other teams could get involved

Beyond the moral questions, and the desire to defend a certain balance between the fronts and the backs, this little game could prove dangerous. In the event of an injury, the South African staff will have much less room for maneuver. This could be a problem for the Springboks themselves, but it’s a risk they assume. It could also be dangerous for players who have to play in unusual positions, and make movements that they are less familiar with.

However, the Springboks have no qualms about doing this, and believe that other teams could very well do the same. “A few years ago, the 6-2 bench was very new to people, and a lot of teams are now doing 6-2,” observes Rassie Erasmusthe director of South African rugby.

Fabien Galthié also tends to follow this path. The Blues coach has already launched third-row Sekou Macalou as a winger during the match, and he is believed to intend to try the Paul Boudehent experiment at center. The idea is the same, by placing as many forwards as possible on the bench, players who play in positions where fatigue occurs more quickly.