This Article should actually be read in conjunction with the previous one, namely “Analysis of the Springbok / Wales match”. A lot of the things that I wrote about in the first Article can actually be seen on these video clips.

Frans Steyn scored for South Africa within the first 3 minutes of this historic match between SA and Wales in the second Pool D (so-called pool of death) match of the 2011 tournament.

Wales totally dominated possession in this match. They didn’t do much with the ball but their technique at the tackle area was so good that South Africa just could not get their hands on the ball.

The next clip is a short slow motion video showing Wales at the breakdowns. Notice the low body positions as they go into contact as well as the depth, numbers and speed of the support. The South Africa tackling was fierce and they normally forced Wales to a standstill by the second or third recycle. Wales would then spread the ball and either grubber the ball for territory or start rucking it up again at another point.

One of the reasons why SA could not create turnovers is because of the high first time tackles. Notice the high tackles and poor body positions by Pierre Spies and Schalk Burger as they tackle and enter the rucks at the start of this clip.

Contrast now South Africa at the breakdowns. This clip explains to a large extent why the Springboks couldn’t get into the game. Fourie du Preez brings the ball up after a kick and transfers the ball to Vicor Matfield who goes to ground with reasonable support. The Springboks recycle and Du Preez sends it wide. Morné Steyn then for a reason only known to him decides to charge into the forwards, with a 1-man overlap on his outside.

There is absolutely no reason, I can see, why this ball could not go to the wing. Steyn, however, in his wisdom decides not pass the ball and charges right into Brussow’s back (which is actually obstruction). Brussow starts off by doing the right thing namely acting as a blocker. Spies takes two players out but Brussow stops playing forward and moves backward to try and seal the ball. He gets pushed out of the way. Beast is too late and too high as he enters the ruck and the Welsh No13 charges right through the ruck and kicks the ball through after which the situation is saved by Frans Steyn.

There is no collective understanding at the rucks in this Springbok team and combine that with poor decision making and one can understand why the Springboks are so utterly useless at the breakdowns.

The next video shows the Wales try in this match. The try starts at a lineout which resulted from a clever stab through grubber behind the South African left wing, Wales wins the ball well in the lineout with very little challenge by the South African locks. There is also no pressure on the halfback and Wales has enough time to spread the ball wide.

The try is actually produced by Jamie Roberts charging in on Morné Steyn, taking him metres back, Wales recycle quickly and Wales No10 delays his pass before shifting the ball to Toby Faletau, the No8 who comes in on an angle to take a suspiciously flat pass, with Jacque Fourie out of line due to the delayed pass and the running angle taken of the Welsh No8. Wales has no problems getting over the line.

South Africa started the second half with the intent to swing to ball like they did in the first 4 minutes of the match. Sam Warburton however made two crucial turnovers which totally stopped the South African intent. This is the first of the two turnovers.

The clip starts with John Smit getting forced back in the tackle. He plants the ball and the ball goes swiftly through the hands to JP Pieterson before the Springboks ruck it up. John Smit who takes the ball up is able to gets his hands above the tackle of the Welsh No6. Notice how the Welsh No6 swings round –accidently?- to end-up between Smit and the incoming South African supporters. In the end it is he who prevents Jannie du Plessis and Beast to blow Sam Warburton off the ball. It’s called sealing.

Sam Warburton becomes the tackler and he gets his hands on the ball as Smit goes to ground. He gets awarded the turnover penalty in spite of the fact that he makes two penalty mistakes in the process. Firstly, he lands with his elbows on the ground which means he is off his feet. Secondly as the tackler, he then has to release the ball which he didn’t do – he bounces off Smit and goes into a wide and low leg stance still holding on to the ball and gets the penalty.

Next is the second turnover which took place immediately after Wales scored their third penalty. Wales starts to run the ball right from the kick-off. Notice again the low body positions as they go to ground in contrast to the South Africans who were too upright.

Eventually they lose the ball and South Africa scramble the ball away. It is a scramble because of the lack of structure at the rucks. Wales keep charging through on Fourie du Preez, making it very difficult for him to have any influence on the game.

The ball goes to Schalk Burger who in turn passes to Frans Steyn. Notice now the work of the Welsh No8 (Toby Faletau) as he tackles Steyn. Is it a co-incidence that he swings –just as the Welsh No 6 did in the first turnover- around Steyn as he pulls Steyn to the ground and that he ends up between Steyn and the incoming South African blow-over cavalry? He then moves his body even more in front of Steyn and the incoming Springboks and also raises himself to a kneeling position to totally neutralise Habana’s attempt to blow Warburton off the ball.

Warburton arrives and presses with his knees on Frans Steyn to maintain balance while getting his hands on the ball. Burger is a bit late but is also obstructed by the Welsh No8 on the ground so that he can’t get to the ball and Warburton gets credited for a second turnover.

It is the substitute players running with speed onto the ball who actually produce this second Springbok try. Notice that apart from Danie Rossouw the primary Springboks who creates this try with repeated explosive running onto the ball as the Bokke work themselves into a position to score the try, are Bismarck du Plessis,Francois Hougaard, Willem Alberts and Gurthro Steenkamp. Notice also the off-the-ball work done by the abovementioned players in the multiple recycles of the ball before Hougaard runs himself into position to score the try.