Major problem awaits Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu against All Blacks

By Michele Buffa Pace on RUCK Debut

The Springboks and All Blacks will meet at the FNB Stadium in Soweto, for the first time since 2012. This clash at the Calabash promises to be a mouthwatering one to say the least.

The Springboks will have a huge confidence boost going into the third Test after a hard fought 33-26 victory over Dave Rennie’s men in the second Test in Cape Town.

Rassie Erasmus has made four changes to his Springbok side to take on the All Blacks this weekend. The main change coming with the injury of Damian Willemse, which sees Cheslin Kolbe filling in at full-back, with a return to the starting wing for Kurt-Lee Arendse.

The changes also see a return to the starting lineup for the front row of Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Wilco Louw, with Deon Fourie, Gerhard Steenekamp and Thomas du Toit taking position on the bench.

All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie has largely kept his faith in his backline that started the second Test in Cape Town, with Damian McKenzie, Will Jordan, Jordie Barrett and Ruben Love all retaining their places in the starting lineup.

The biggest change comes in the forwards with Josh Lord returning to the starting XV after recovering from a concussion. Lord’s return sees Tupou Vaa’I move out of the starting lineup and onto the bench.

With everything still to play for in the series, both teams will know that small advantages will be the difference. Here are the three key battles that could hand that advantage to either side in what looks to be the series decider in Soweto.

At fly-half, two very young and exciting players could have a large influence on the outcome of this deciding Test match.
For the Springboks, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu once again will continue in the No. 10 jersey after a last-minute injury to Handre Pollard before the second Test in Cape Town.

The 23-year-old who brings creativity and a sense of unpredictability to the Springbok backline will without a doubt be looking to put pressure on the All Blacks back three as well as to create space in the midfield.

Opposite Mngomezulu will be Ruben Love. Love, who has shown time and time again that he intends on making that No. 10 jersey his own will without a doubt be a threat to the Springboks this weekend.

He will be looking to disrupt the Springboks’ defensive structure much like he did in the first Test at Ellis Park. Love will want to move the ball quickly and use his passing ability to create spaces for his backline to exploit. This mouth-watering battle will ultimately be about game management.

The fly-half who makes the better decisions under pressure could give his team the territorial advantage and control the tempo of the game.

One of the most anticipated battles of the third Test, will be between Cheslin Kolbe and Damian McKenzie. Both players have the ability to change the game with one moment of magic; however, they will look to do so in different ways.

Kolbe will look to use his speed, footwork and kicking ability in order to exploit minor mistakes in the All Blacks’ defensive line. After scoring 18 points with the boot in Cape Town, Kolbe will look to be a reliable source of points for the men in green and gold. With his movement to Fullback, Kolbe will have more opportunities to counterattack.

He will aim to turn defensive possession into attacking opportunities, especially if the All Blacks kick poorly or leave space behind their defensive line. 2

McKenzie on the other hand will want to make Kolbe’s day at the office a very unpleasant one. McKenzie will aim to put pressure on his opposite number by attacking the space around him, rather than running the ball into the Springbok defence.

He will look to make use of short kicks and changes of direction to try and place Kolbe in a difficult position. McKenzie, who scored a brilliant try in the second Test in Cape Town, will be looking to do so again. However, the All Blacks will want him to have a far greater impact on the game.

This battle will come down to who controls the space behind the defensive line. Should the All Blacks give Kolbe the space to run, then it will result in South Africa punishing them.

If McKenzie can manipulate the South African defence and force Kolbe to make difficult defensive decisions, then the All Blacks will create opportunities.

Once again, the arm-wrestle upfront could be a decisive one in this Test match. The battle between Ox Nche and Tyrel Lomax could make a huge difference at scrum time. Nche returns to the starting lineup after making a huge impact from the bench in Cape Town.

Opposite him will be the All Blacks tight-head Tyrel Lomax, who has been a regular starter for the All Blacks throughout the series and one of the world's in-form number threes right now.

Nche’s low body position and explosive power make him a force to be reckoned with at scrum time. The Springboks will look to take full advantage of this, and like normal, Rassie's men will attempt to use the scrum to win penalties, gain territory and most importantly, put pressure on the All Blacks’ forwards.

The All Blacks, however, have shown on multiple occasions that they can match the Springboks in terms of physicality.

Their main goal will be to prevent the Springboks from turning a scrum into an attacking opportunity, as a collapsed shove can quickly result in a trip underneath your own posts.

Additionally, the return of Malcolm Marx to the starting lineup could make this battle much more interesting. Marx’s physicality at the breakdown and his power in the scrum and with ball in hand could prove to be a big problem for the All Blacks’ forward pack.

In a game that is expected to be decided by the smallest of margins, whichever team gains control at scrum time or at the breakdown could gain the advantage.