South African coach Jacques Nienaber says the Springboks will proceed to evolve their game-plan and add extra attacking strings to their bow forward of the protection of their Rugby World Cup title in France later this yr.
The champions have been noticeably extra attacking with ball in hand within the autumn internationals on the finish of 2022, which included slim defeats by Eire and France, and wins over Italy and England.
The aspect have been roundly criticized for being one-dimensional and too reliant on a territorial kicking sport within the wake of their 2019 World Cup win in Japan, however Nienaber says they’re studying new methods to select opponents aside.
“We should not be smug and say as a result of we gained a World Cup in 2019, if we do the identical issues we’ll win it once more. It’s important to change, adapt and evolve. Final season was huge for us by way of that,” Nienaber advised reporters.
“The staff has embraced the adjustments we now have made. It’s important to ensure you keep inventive in any other case different groups will catch as much as you.”
The Boks misplaced 5 of their 13 Exams in 2022, thought of a below-par yr, however with Nienaber having widened the participant pool extensively, he says it was obligatory forward of the World Cup after the aspect remained idle for 20 months following their World Cup win as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
These defeats included a first-ever house loss to Wales after Nienaber made 18 adjustments to the match-day squad from the staff that gained the primary Check of the sequence.
“It was 100 per cent the suitable resolution. It sounds humorous, however failure is a approach of evolving and creating. If you begin studying to experience a motorcycle, no-one simply will get on and goes. It’s important to fall just a few instances to be taught,” he stated.
“Should you simply bat on your personal win percentages, you do not make these adjustments. Then guys like (wings) Kurt-Lee Arendse and Canan Moodie wouldn’t have had a possibility.
“Whereas profitable will all the time be our fundamental purpose, squad growth and getting expertise into gamers was an enormous drive final yr.”
The Boks play a truncated three-game Rugby Championship and tackle Wales and New Zealand in warm-up video games forward of the World Cup.
They’ve been pooled with Eire, Scotland, Tonga and Romania in France.
