Springboks Legend Explains How All Blacks Benefited From Referee Calls In Cape Town Defeat
- Nick Mallett claimed referee Angus Gardner avoided making tough calls at the scrum during the second Test in Cape Town
- Rassie Erasmus made a last-minute front-row switch before kick-off, with Ox Nché and Malcolm Marx held back for impact
- Mallett identified the moment Nché and Marx entered the game as a turning point that changed the scrum picture entirely
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Former Springbok coach Nick Mallett believes referee Angus Gardner's reluctance to penalise at the scrum handed the All Blacks a significant lifeline during the second Test in Cape Town.
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The Springboks defeated New Zealand 33-26 on Saturday to level the Rugby's Greatest Rivalry four-match series at 1-1, but scrum referee decisions remained a flashpoint throughout the contest.
The set-piece had already drawn scrutiny after the first Test, when All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie lodged concerns with World Rugby over what he described as the Boks "walking around" at the scrum.
Erasmus' front-row gamble
Shortly before kick-off, Rassie Erasmus reversed his planned front-row selection, starting Gerhard Steenekamp, Deon Fourie and Thomas du Toit instead of Ox Nché, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw.
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The Bok coach explained that wet conditions had shaped his original plan, but dry weather on the day prompted a rethink about how best to use his front-rowers across the full 80 minutes.
Speaking on the Talking Boks podcast, Mallett praised the tactical decision.
"It was classic Rassie. I think he really thinks about every single thing. It worked beautifully. It really did. I thought our Bomb Squad made a big difference. The guys who came on all contributed."
Gardner's approach under the microscope
Mallett argued that the Boks left scrum penalties on the table because of how Gardner managed the set-piece.
"I just really felt that Angus Gardner didn't want to have to adjudicate who was dominant in that area of the game," he said.
"He wanted it to be a set-piece that was just a restart in the game. If a team managed to get the ball to the No 8, even if that front row just pancaked and went to ground — which is illegal, you've got to stay on your feet — he said, 'Play away.'"
Mallett estimated the All Blacks avoided three or four penalties as a result.
The scrum picture shifted markedly when Nché and Marx entered the game in the 35th minute.
"When they came on, there was a real bloody difference in terms of momentum," Mallett said, adding that Gardner issued two quick penalties but appeared uncertain about one of them, consulting his assistant referee before awarding it.
Mallett noted that Gardner settled back into a permissive approach as the match wore on, and flagged the upcoming third Test at FNB Stadium as a key test of whether Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli will take a different view.
"Certainly, it took away what has always been a real weapon of ours. There were several scrums in that game where we could double-shove, and we could have gone, but we weren't given the reward."
Rassie calls on Springbok fans to stay silent during Haka
Briefly News previously reported that Rassie Erasmus has asked Springbok supporters to remain silent during the All Blacks haka ahead of the second Test in Cape Town
At Ellis Park the previous week, a crowd of 60,000 complied with a similar request, abandoning the traditional 'Olé' chant.
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Source: Briefly News
