John Smit Reveals What Dave Rennie Was Really Trying to Deflect With ‘Walking Around’ Scrum Claim
- John Smit has given his verdict on Dave Rennie’s controversial claim about the Springboks’ scrum tactics
- The former Bok captain believes the accusation took attention away from how New Zealand disrupted South Africa at scrum time
- Smit has also explained why he did not believe the Springboks needed to use the tactic in Cape Town
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John Smit believes Dave Rennie’s “walking around” accusation was a clever attempt to shift attention away from the All Blacks’ own scrum tactics. Rennie’s claim followed the Springboks’ 33-26 victory over New Zealand in Cape Town last Saturday and prompted a fiery response from Rassie Erasmus.
Smit, speaking on the I Love Rugby podcast, said comments like Rennie’s seemed designed to send a message to officials.
“All of those comments and all of the questions, they’re all directed and what answer you give is directed at trying to get some form of message through to the officials and I find it amazing,” Smit said according to SA Rugby Magazine.
The former hooker and tighthead prop then turned his attention to what happened during the scrums.
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‘They did negate’ the Springboks
Smit highlighted the Springboks’ long-standing strength in the scrum, particularly through Ox Nché and Gerhard Steenekamp. Reflecting on the first Test at Ellis Park, he said:
“I hadn’t seen a scrum being destroyed like that in a long time.”
But Smit felt the All Blacks had made noticeable improvements in Cape Town, even though he believed the Springboks still held the advantage at scrum time.
He explained that New Zealand had done a better job of neutralising South Africa’s pressure than they managed during the opening Test. Smit said the All Blacks had improved the set-piece outcome, even if they didn't fully control it.
A key part of that improvement, according to the former Springbok captain, was the number of resets. He noted that New Zealand had six scrums reset during the match, allowing them to avoid being fully exposed when South Africa applied pressure.
Smit argued that repeatedly resetting the scrum could effectively reduce the impact of the opposition’s biggest weapon. In his view, the All Blacks had found a way to take some of the sting out of the Springboks’ traditionally powerful set piece without necessarily dominating it outright.
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Smit: ‘I certainly didn’t see it’
Smit was equally clear when asked about the “walking around” tactic itself.
“Walking around is a pretty easy one because you can actually see it,” he said.
“It’s a tactic and a legal one, but I haven’t seen that from our crew. We haven’t really needed to do that with anyone.”
Smit added that he “certainly didn’t see” the Springboks use it on Saturday.
He ultimately described Rennie’s approach as “a ploy and a clever one” to deflect attention from the All Blacks’ attempts to “depower the Springboks scrum”.
The scrum battle now heads to Johannesburg, with the 3rd Test at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Kurt-Lee Arendse backs Springboks ahead of All Blacks decider
Briefly News previously reported that Kurt-Lee Arendse believes the Springboks have made important adjustments ahead of the final Test against New Zealand's All Blacks.
The Bok winger said South Africa shifted its focus after the opening Test, with the team paying closer attention to its strengths and areas for improvement.
Arendse also spoke positively about the changes to the backline, while expecting a massive reception when the Springboks return to FNB Stadium on Saturday.
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Source: Briefly News
