The 11 points from the tee which South Africa failed to take in their 13-8 Rugby World Cup defeat to Ireland on Saturday was the easy answer when questions were asked about why the Springboks lost. Out-half Manie Libbok missed a penalty and a conversion while scrum-half Faf de Klerk missed two penalties.
However, South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber feels the opportunities for tries which his side failed to take are a more pressing issue.
"In the game against Ireland, we had four opportunities within one metre of their goal-line, which we butchered. Four," said Nienaber.
"That, for me, is a much bigger issue that we have to sort out. You can’t get yourself within one metre of Ireland’s try line and then you butcher four opportunities.”
23 September 2023; South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber before the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Ireland at Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
South Africa's goal-kicking woes could be eased with the selection of Handre Pollard. The 29-year-old - who was called up to the Springboks squad following an injury to hooker Malcolm Marx - has been selected at out-half for Sunday's clash with Tonga. He missed out on the original squad due to a calf injury. The game will be Pollard's first international in 13 months.
"That’s why we went with a five-three split [on the bench]," said Nienaber.
"If you look at Handre, he hasn’t played top-level club rugby since the first weekend in May. I think it’s about 19 weeks ago and in that 19 weeks, he’s only played 30 minutes of club rugby and that was in the Premiership Cup [for Leicester Tigers] the other night.
"There’s a good possibility that he probably would struggle to get through an intense game, a good probability that he might cramp up. That’s why we went with the five-three and have Manie [Libbok] on the bench just for cover.
23 September 2023; Manie Libbok of South Africa walks away from the tee as teammate Faf de Klerk prepares to kick a penalty during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Ireland at Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
"In that 13 months that Handre wasn’t available for the Springboks, there were 16 test matches and we won 75 per cent of those.
"We lost four, and of the four test matches we lost, two were against Ireland - who are the number one team in the world and everybody is struggling against them, they haven’t lost a test match since the one against New Zealand in Auckland.
"Then we lost to New Zealand in Auckland this year, and the other test match that we lost where those two guys were steering the Springboks and driving the team in the 10 jersey, was against France in Marseille where we got the red card. In three of those test matches it was very close, even this past one (against Ireland), up to the 78th minute there were two points in it.
"Yes, we are not consistent off the tee. But the guys that stepped in, I don’t think they did a bad job."
31 July 2021; Handré Pollard of South Africa in action against Dan Biggar of British and Irish Lions during the second test of the British and Irish Lions tour match between South Africa and British and Irish Lions at Cape Town Stadium in Cape Town, South Africa. Photo by Ashley Vlotman/Sportsfile
Nienaber said his expectation for Pollard this weekend is a "realistic performance".
"I think that’s where we must all stay in the reality of it," he said.
"He hasn’t played for the Boks in 13 months - he last played in the last week in August 2022 for the Springboks.
"He hasn’t played top-level rugby since the first week in May, which is 19 weeks ago. In saying that, he’s a quality rugby player and we all know that. He’s won a World Cup before, he’s won a British & Irish Lions series before.
"So he understands what international rugby and top international rugby is about, but I think we must stay real in that and give him time to settle in and get used to the pace of it."
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