Analysis: Any inference from Felix Jones' comments that Dave Rennie is coaching methods that put opposing players at risk is a step too far, writes Patrick McKendry.
The Springboks, a day after complaining about being accused of slowing the game down, have again used a press conference to attempt to wrest a narrative ahead of Sunday’s first Test – this time suggesting the All Blacks need to look at staying "within the laws".
Assistant coach Felix Jones, an Irishman, is the latest to try to use the platform in another clear attempt to pressure the match officials and unsettle the All Blacks, including head coach Dave Rennie, who Jones mentioned by name.
This morning’s example in Johannesburg featured Jones immediately mentioning some of the "feedback" the Springboks had received from the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls following their defeats to the All Blacks over the last couple of weeks.
“A couple of things probably caught them out – a couple of things probably trended from the feedback amongst the different franchises,” Jones said.
“A few things around the breakdown – they experienced tucked shoulders going into the breakdown which I know they weren’t happy with… like a reversed arm, non-wrapping action. That was a consistent theme that came out.
“Probably another big one for [the South African club teams] is they were all actually quite happy – they created a lot of opportunities in terms of getting themselves into scoring positions maybe 10m out.
“Most of the teams got multiple lineout opportunities there and I think they were frustrated they couldn’t score with their maul. It’s tough when there’s someone pulling you or trying to lift a leg or maybe just going off feet for a couple of seconds.”
Helped by an amenable media who appeared to know exactly what questions to ask, Jones continued with a reference to the importance of player "safety".
"I don’t want it to be a controversial thing… but we’ve coached against Glasgow and Australia when Dave has been there and you mention the word 'brutal' – that does follow his coaching…
"World rugby’s No.1 priority is safety so we’re just super aware that the feedback we did get from the franchises that there were a number of that type of clear-out actions… so we want to make sure that brutality or physicality stays within the laws."
What Rennie and his staff make of the latest efforts from the Boks may not be safe to print but they will probably be interested to know that Jones made his comments with a straight face.
The vast majority of people who have watched the Springboks since they started playing international rugby in 1891 will know the South Africans have never been anything but brutal in their approach to the game, and especially in the breakdown. For Jones to casually bring up player safety will clearly attract the attention of the public, if not that of the match officials. Whether the latter take much notice remains to be seen.
There was more. A reporter, seemingly anticipating where the conversation was leading, asked whether Jones felt the illegal ruck cleanouts were a result of coaching or bad technique, Jones replied: “I don’t think it’s something I’ve really seen from them and obviously we’ve analysed them extensively over the last number of years.
“We’re all for the physical side of the game as everyone is aware so whatever word wants to be associated with it, we just want it to be within the law, so yeah we’re just aware of that going into the game.”
Jones may have prefaced his latest answer with the observation that he did not want to cause controversy, but the inference could be taken that Rennie, the former Chiefs, Glasgow and Wallabies head coach, is coaching teams to occasionally go beyond the law and put the safety of opposing players at risk.
Jones appears to be treading a fine line.
Erasmus wheeling out former international referee Jaco Peyper the day before to provide evidence as to why the South Africans don’t slow the game down was good clean fun by comparison. That would appear part of a normal cut and thrust of a big Test week but these implications, labelled to a specific individual, seem a step too far.
We should not forget either that in 2021 Rasmus was found guilty by a misconduct committee of "attacking, disparaging and/or denigrating the game and match officials and not accepting the authority of match officials" during a British and Irish Lions tour and banned for two months.
The first of four consecutive Tests will provide different and more relevant talking points, but it may be a long four weeks otherwise.
Meanwhile, fullback Damian McKenzie appears to have recovered from his ankle injury and is on track to play at Ellis Park on Sunday, assistant coach saying: “He was sharp today – he got through what he needed to get through so he’s trending well for being available this weekend.”
The All Blacks and Boks will name their teams tomorrow night.
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