Despite leveling the series, the All Blacks have clearly dominated in tries, scoring nine to the Boks' four over the two matches. They also held superior possession, territory, and ran for more metres, leading to more linebreaks. Jean de Villiers, in conversation with Burger on The Verdict podcast, asked how South Africa managed to clinch the win given these figures. Burger’s response was succinct:
"Scoreboard pressure."
Hanyani Shimange echoed this sentiment, explaining that being behind forced New Zealand to react, playing into the stats. "So they’re naturally going to dominate the stats; you’ve got to look at it in context," Shimange added.
Burger praised the Boks’ early physical and direct playing style but acknowledged the weaknesses when they try to expand their gameplay. "Areas, on attack especially, where I think we are still weak is that we don’t have that fluency,” Burger noted, pointing out the increased errors when playing wider.
"You could see every time we try to pull it out the back, the error came."
Burger also voiced concerns over the team's sluggish transition into attack modes after turnovers. "We don’t set fast enough on those transition plays," he explained, suggesting a lapse in focus on all-out aggressive tactics.
De Villiers highlighted another area of concern, the handling errors that plagued the team in their last outing, with the Boks conceding fifteen turnovers in the match.
On the opposing tactics, Shimange cautioned against overemphasis on ball possession statistics, due to the differing strategies of each team. He explained, "We are never going to make more passes than New Zealand. In that middle third area, they want to play for a penalty, so they’ll keep the shape and keep going," contrasting this with the Boks' tendency to opt for kicking after minimal phases.
Looking ahead to the next game, Burger laid out the stakes: "The All Blacks scored nine tries in two games; you’ve got to assume they’re scoring 30 points this weekend again, and the Springboks would have to discover their attacking flair or sort out their defence – either or."
The forthcoming match at FNB Stadium thus represents a critical juncture for the Springboks, as they must sharpen their attack or bolster their defence to clinch the series. With strategic adjustments and focused execution, they have the opportunity to overcome their recent shortcomings and secure a decisive victory.
