Forward platform edges closer to peak
South Africa's forwards coach Deon Davids has delivered a chilling message to the All Blacks ahead of Saturday's Rugby's Greatest Rivalry finale in Baltimore: the Springbok pack that dismantled New Zealand's set-piece in Soweto is still finding its full potential.
The 29–24 victory at Soccer City showcased a scrum that yielded four penalties and a penalty try just before half-time, a lineout operating at 93.9 per cent efficiency against New Zealand's 82.1 per cent, and a maul that gained 27 metres—17 of them inside the opposition 22. Malcolm Marx's try from a driving maul epitomised the platform the Boks have weaponised across the series, yet Davids insists the unit remains a work in progress.
"Our performance now is based on very hard work," Davids said during a video call from the team's training facility. "At the start of the season, we gave a lot of players an opportunity, and through that, you build a bit of depth in the squad, and you try to build combinations. Going into this series, we understood that it's going to be very important for us to have a good set-piece, and I think that the hard work that has been put into our scrums, lineouts and mauls is starting to show."
The statistical disparity in the third Test was stark. All 12 Springbok lineout throws found their target, while New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie conceded his side had been forced to throw short because of the pressure exerted by the Bok jumpers. The scrum, meanwhile, has evolved from a possession platform into an offensive weapon, with the penalty try awarded after sustained pressure a vivid illustration of South Africa's forward dominance.
Cohesion the product of patient selection
The upward trajectory has been built on a foundation laid earlier in the season. After the Nations Champions fixture against England on 4 July, rotation through the remaining pool matches meant the first-choice pack did not reconvene until the opening Test on 22 August—a gap of one month and 18 days. The initial lack of co-ordination was evident in Johannesburg, where a charge-down try and a scrum penalty against the Boks at a crucial juncture allowed New Zealand to draw first blood despite being physically outmatched for long stretches.
Since then, the Springbok pack has tightened. The second and third Tests have seen the forward unit impose itself with increasing authority, and Davids' warning that "we're never the final product" suggests South Africa believe there is another gear available for the decider.
Baltimore stakes
The series stands at 2–1 to the Springboks, with the All Blacks needing victory in Baltimore to force a share of the spoils. New Zealand's set-piece struggles—particularly at scrum time, where the strain on the front row was evident throughout the third Test—leave them vulnerable to a forward pack that has grown in confidence and cohesion. If Davids' assessment proves accurate and the Bok scrum, lineout and maul can elevate further, the All Blacks face a daunting 80 minutes on Saturday.