Durban - With one group D clash left against Samoa, there are still questions surrounding the Springboks campaign at this Rugby World Cup.
The Boks have won three out of three games, improving greatly in each game. But even in their last match in which they demolished Namibia, the defending champions had lost territory and possession. The same situation occurred against Fiji and Wales.
Coach Peter de Villiers commented after the Namibia game: "We played a brilliant game once we regrouped. We are very proud of the guys, very, very proud. If we had played another team we would have done things differently maybe."
Captain John Smit said there were a few things that didn't go according to plan in the first 30 minutes against their neighbours, when unforced errors cost the Boks momentum.
"But the boys tightened up and got back into it, so it's important to know that we will get different types of opposition, but each game is equally important," said Smit.
"It's an easy task to get guys up for a World Cup game, but the difficult part is to make sure that we analyse ourselves and be hard on ourselves with our individual stats and where we are heading as a team. There'll be bigger tests coming in the future but it was a step."
In a snap survey, fans shared their thoughts on the Boks' performance thus far.
Sport24.co.za Editor Tank Lanning said the Boks got off to a very shaky start against Wales, but were a lot better against Fiji and Namibia, "not because we beat them, but because we beat them properly."
"Confidence is a key factor in any sport, especially team sports, and that seems to be [working] its way into the Bok psyche," said Lanning.
Durban Bok fan Camilla Dodson Griffiths said the Boks were solid in their last two games.
"The Boks need to stay calm and clinical and adapt to whomever we are playing in the quarter-final. If it is Australia, we need to rattle (Will) Genia and (Quade) Cooper from the beginning, like the Irish did," said Dodson Griffiths.
Springbok wing Natasha Hoffmeester believes thus far the Boks have played pretty well.
"Under the circumstances with the injuries in the squad, they've managed to use players outside of their normal positions. The youngsters are really showing commitment and eagerness and they are really doing well," said Hoffmeester.
Sports blogger Roly Clulow said the Boks have improved with each game but they seem to be making a lot of unforced errors.
"Concentration levels are not up to standard, which shows in the lack of polish. Good, but can still improve. The talent is there in abundance, and good handling and ball skills would be the icing on a very nice cake," said Clulow.
He added that the Boks' defence is brilliant thus far and if they intend sticking to their usual game plan for the quarter-finals, they need to show dominance up front.
Quarter-final prospects
Lanning said before South Africa starts to focus on the quarter-finals, the Boks need a win against Samoa without injuring key players.
"Jannie du Plessis is vital to the Bok cause at tighthead, and unless they are going to have two props on the bench, De Villiers is going to have to make a call on Gurthro (Steenkamp) or Beast, because it makes sense for CJ (Van der Linde) to be on the bench given that he can play both sides.
"He is also going to have to make a space for Francois Hougaard in the team, and that means dropping either (Fourie) Du Preez or (Bryan) Habana. The latter seems the obvious call to me, but Div is not so good at making these big calls.
"Then they need to keep the ball in hand just a little more. Obviously they are going to play a conservative kicking game with Steyn at flyhalf, but these least two games have shown that they are not completely hopeless with ball in hand," said Lanning.
"If we can dominate in the scrums and lineouts we can starve the opposition playmakers of ball and close them out of the game," said Clulow.
Hoffmeester said she doesn't think that the coaching staff should change the core of the team to much.
"As the games progressed they have been showing better implementation of their structure. The Boks showed us that playing running rugby and taking the ball wide is a big positive for us and I think that should be more focused on for the quarter-final," she said.
Etv personality Jeff Moloi is impressed with the Boks' growing confidence. For a very likely quarter-final, Moloi feels the Boks need to be clinical from the early stages.
"There can be none of that first 20 minutes against Fiji. [We] have to defend well under attack and score when the opportunity presents itself like in the 2nd half of both the last two matches," he said.
Teams that have impressed thus far
"The All Blacks are without doubt the form team, and this is their world cup to lose. Which we all know they can! Hence the tournament remains interesting," Lanning said.
"Ireland played the perfect game to thwart the Aussies - using their pack to subdue the Aus forwards and thus shutting down the space for Cooper to work in, so they must be considered contenders. England are the dark horse - literally with their unseemly black jerseys."
Moloi said: "New Zealand are clinical as usual in the early stages of the RWC. Ireland were a revelation against the Wallabies."
Hoffmeester said in a tournament like this, every team should be seen as a threat.
"The Boks can't label some games as easy and some as important. A world class team sees every team as a threat and then plan to take them out to achieve their ultimate goal and that's winning the World Cup."
"USA and Japan have played with great heart and a brilliant defence," said Dodson Griffiths.
She also feels that the Irish and All blacks have been equally impressive.
"The team that impressed me so far would be Ireland. You don't see a low ranking team beat a high ranking team like Australia every day. Ireland are showing guts and they are looking promising," said Clulow. - BuaNews
