The Springboks ‘superpower’ that sets them apart, where it comes from and their ‘refusal’ to lose – Analysis

Everyone wants to talk about shape, kicking maps and the Bomb Squad. They’re all missing the point. South Africa’s defining skill isn’t tactical. It’s emotional. The Springboks refuse to lose collisions, and nearly everything else flows from that.

The premise

South Africa will lose lineouts, they will lose aerial contests, and on the odd bad night they will lose Test matches. What they will not do is lose the collision. That commitment sits above the game plan, above selection, above everything, and the kicking game, the rush defence and the loaded bench all exist downstream of it. Break it and they