Morne van den Berg believes the Springboks already have the blueprint to limit one of the All Blacks’ biggest attacking threats when the two sides meet again in Soweto.
Cam Roigard has been one of New Zealand’s standout performers during the opening two Tests of the series, repeatedly causing problems with his speed, passing and ability to create opportunities around the breakdown.
But with the third Test looming at FNB Stadium on Saturday, Van den Berg insists South Africa will not make the mistake of focusing solely on the All Blacks scrumhalf.
Instead, the Springbok No. 9 believes the answer lies in the team’s defensive system and, more importantly, the performance of the forwards in front of him.
ROIGARD HAS BEEN A MAJOR THREAT
Roigard has made his presence felt throughout the first two Tests, contributing in virtually every area of the game.
Across the opening matches, the All Blacks scrumhalf has carried 13 times for 74 metres and beaten 11 defenders. He has also completed 123 passes and added 15 kicks from hand.
His attacking influence has been even more significant, with Roigard producing two try assists and scoring one himself.
Defensively, he has made 10 tackles from 14 attempts and also won a turnover in the opening Test at Ellis Park.
Those numbers underline why South Africa cannot afford to give the New Zealand No. 9 time and space to dictate the tempo.
Van den Berg, however, believes the Boks can make Roigard far less effective by controlling what happens in front of him.
‘A DIFFICULT DAY BEHIND A SLOW RUCK’
For Van den Berg, the key is simple: the Springboks need to deny Roigard quick, clean ball.
“If we are good enough and we get right what we want to get right, then he’s going to have a difficult day behind a slow ruck,” Van den Berg said.
The scrumhalf believes Roigard’s influence becomes significantly harder to manage when the All Blacks pack is forced backwards and cannot provide fast ball.
“As a scrumhalf, it’s really difficult if your pack is going back,” he explained.
That puts the spotlight firmly on the Springbok forwards, who will once again be expected to win the physical battle at the breakdown and prevent New Zealand from playing at its preferred tempo.
BOKS REFUSE TO MAKE IT ABOUT ONE PLAYER
Although Roigard has been a major talking point ahead of the third Test, Van den Berg insists South Africa’s approach will not revolve around trying to shut down one individual.
The Springboks have faced an All Blacks attack that has consistently looked to stretch their defence and exploit space out wide, with New Zealand scoring nine tries across the first two Tests.
Van den Berg described the All Blacks as the most attacking team he has faced in his career, but remains confident in the defensive structure the Boks have developed.
“It [the Bok defence] wasn’t perfect at times, but if you stay in the system, it protects you,” he said.
The message from the Springbok camp is therefore clear: Roigard is dangerous, but the solution is collective.
VAN DEN BERG BACKS THE BOK SYSTEM
Van den Berg will again start the third Test from the bench, but his confidence in South Africa’s approach remains high.
Rather than becoming distracted by Roigard’s individual brilliance, the Springboks want to force New Zealand into uncomfortable positions, slow their possession and apply pressure across the field.
“Obviously we know what Cam is capable of, but it’s more about shutting the All Blacks down than shutting Cam Roigard down,” Van den Berg said.
With the series finely poised, the third Test could ultimately come down to which team controls the tempo.
If the Springboks can dominate the collisions, slow the breakdown and force the All Blacks backwards, Van den Berg believes Roigard’s influence can be dramatically reduced.
But if New Zealand consistently produces quick ball and gets its powerful attack moving forward, the Boks could once again have their hands full.
Roigard may be the headline threat, but for Van den Berg, stopping the All Blacks starts with stopping the system that gives their No. 9 the platform to shine.
