Wilco Louw delivered one of the few standout performances in the Springboks' 16-33 defeat to the All Blacks at Ellis Park, anchoring a scrum that dominated for the opening 55 minutes before Gerhard Steenekamp's penalty halted their momentum.
The tighthead prop, alongside Malcolm Marx and Ox Nche, repeatedly shoved the New Zealand pack backwards and won penalties in a rare bright spot on a difficult evening. Yet Louw's post-match assessment focused squarely on what his side lacked.
"Obviously it's very disappointing, but ja, they used their opportunities really well and luckily we've got another chance next week," Louw said. "They played really well and they used their opportunities and they could finish."
The clinical finishing that eluded the Springboks emerged as the central theme of Louw's analysis. "Next week is another opportunity. We will focus on what we need to focus on and do better. They were more clinical than us," he added.
Louw dismissed suggestions that the Boks deliberately slowed the tempo, insisting no team enters a Test match seeking to stifle the pace. "Obviously we want to play an exciting brand of rugby. I don't think there's any nation in the world that'll go out and say we want to make it slow. I think it was a well-paced game, I don't think it was too quick."
Despite the margin of defeat, the prop maintained confidence in the Boks' ability to recover. "There's still three Tests to go. This was just the first Test. And the belief is there that we can be better, grow and use our opportunities … I just think being clinical and focusing on us and try to use our opportunities better."
The Springboks' scrum dominance will count for little unless they convert that platform into points when the series resumes in Cape Town on Saturday.