Springboks counting on ‘bomb squad’ to complete two-test sweep of Ireland

In the lifetime of South Africa’s “bomb squad,” it has won the last two Rugby World Cups.

That is the Springboks’ justification for loading their eight-man reserves bench with six or seven forwards, the so-called bomb squad. The traditional split of reserve forwards and backs is 5-3. But the Springboks’ extra one or two forwards allows them in second halves to freshen almost their entire pack and energize their play.

Remaining critics of the once-revolutionary tactic — Ireland used a 6-2 split three times en route to the most recent Six Nations title — call it a danger to the wellbeing of tiring opponents and South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus defended it again before the second test against Ireland on Saturday in Durban.

Erasmus sent in a bomb squad of six forwards in the third quarter of the first test last Saturday in Pretoria and, while South Africa won 27-20, he noted Six Nations champion Ireland finished strong to make it a tense game.

“They handled it well,” Erasmus said this week.

Taking a huge gamble on minimal backline injuries doesn’t work all the time, but the bomb squad keeps proving its value to the world champion and No. 1-ranked Springboks.

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Like it did last weekend, when South Africa led a resurgent Ireland by only five points with three minutes left. The Springboks forced a five-meter scrum. The bomb squad, including one-cap loosehead Gerhard Steenekamp, packed down and detonated Ireland’s scrum into seldom-seen oblivion.

The Irish were dismantled and the Springboks pack jogged across the tryline. They received a penalty try, the clinching points in the win.

“I get goosebumps when I think about that (scrum),” said Boks lock Franco Mostert, one of the replaced starters. “(Scrum) coach Daan (Human) puts a lot of hard work in to get the scrums to function well, and it’s great to see the rewards.”

The scrum was one of the few things South Africa could rely on at Loftus Versfeld. In the first full reunion of the World Cup champions in nine months, the breakdown service was disrupted and the backline flowed only once. Without the bomb squad’s impact and Cheslin Kolbe’s X factor, South Africa would have lost a fourth straight test to Ireland.

Erasmus named an unchanged side this week expecting the rust to have been rubbed off. The most experienced Springboks team in history is tasked with completing a series sweep.

“They know this weekend will be an even bigger test, but they’ll be up for the challenge,” Erasmus promised.

While they expect Ireland to come back harder, it won’t be the same Ireland.

No. 8 Caelan Doris has the reins after captain Peter O’Mahony was benched. Hooker Dan Sheehan, scrumhalf Craig Casey and midfielder Bundee Aki have dropped out injured. Ronan Kelleher, Conor Murray and Garry Ringrose have replaced them. That’s a respectable flip side.

But it has also dug into Ireland’s depth. The three back reserves have a combined 24 caps.

Coach Andy Farrell couldn’t explain why his team was surprisingly off in the first half at Loftus, where a team laden with nine Leinstermen, six in the pack, was expected to hit the ground running. The changes this week mean Ireland starts with 11 Leinstermen, playing their last match of an extra-long World Cup season.

“It’s our last chance to have a crack at what is the best side in the world at this moment in time, and we relish that opportunity,” Farrell said. “Every time you put on a green shirt you always have a chance.”

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