Three areas the Springboks could improve after All Blacks series win

The Springboks had such a good performance in Baltimore it's easy to forget they were scrambling to save the series at one point. The Springboks produced a near-perfect performance in their 43-28 win over the All Blacks in the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series decider in Baltimore. But the All Blacks, while not at their best, posed an attacking threat that exposed weaknesses in the Springboks’ strategy, leaving the hosts scrambling to recover from an opening defeat to save the series. The Springboks have certainly addressed these problems. But they will want to consolidate these areas if they are to enjoy continued success – especially with different personnel when the coaches return to their rotational policy. Finishing opportunities Rassie Erasmus stressed that scoring tries was not the only way to win a game, and the Springboks had learned from their many failed attacks in the first Test to take the three points on offer when they could. But the Springboks would not have been happy with their inability to finish from attacking positions. South Africa only scored more tries than New Zealand in the fourth Test. And overall, the All Blacks scored 17 tries to the Springboks’ 14. The All Blacks never scored fewer than four tries in a game in the series. Sometimes there are small margins, and sometimes it is the work of the defence – such as the All Blacks frustrating the breakdown in the first Test – but the Boks will know that no number of attacks created on the back of strong set-pieces will succeed unless the players have the skill set and composure to finish. Kurt-Lee Arendse’s individual effort turned the tide for South Africa in the fourth Test. But they will need to double down on attacking drills when they face more cohesive and less injury-hit opposition. Defence As probably inferred from the previous point, conceding 17 tries in four matches highlights a need to address the defence system. The Springboks rang the changes for the second Test, with returning regular captain Siya Kolisi among those called on to compete at the breakdown and defend the wider channels. Granted, the All Blacks have a fearless high-tempo attack under Dave Rennie. Few teams would have fared better. The Boks defended better, and scrambled in defence more from the second Test. But several missed tackles leave room for improvement. They will next be tested by an attack-minded Wallabies side when the teams meet in a one-off Test in Perth next Sunday. Breakdowns As mentioned, the All Blacks slowed the Springbok attack down considerably and won the ball on occasion at the breakdown in the first Test. Erasmus’ initial response was that they had not expected the All Blacks to try to rip the ball so often in contact, having usually chopped players at the legs in tackles or gone over for an attempted turnover in the past. Some personnel changes and work in training fixed this so that the Springboks increasingly dominated collisions and the breakdowns in the series. Still, this is one of the few areas the Boks could keep an eye on after the series.