Springboks 32 Ireland 26: The South African press reacts

What a difference a week makes.

Last weekend Alistair Coetzee’s tenure as South Africa coach got off to the worst possible start as they were beaten by a 14-man Ireland in Cape Town.

Just one game in and already the knives were out for Coetzee, and a second defeat in as many games could have left his job in jeopardy so soon after his appointment.

It was vital the Springboks produced a reaction in Saturday’s second Test in Johannesburg, and while it took them a long time to get going they finally kicked into life in the second half, scoring 29 points after the break to win 32-26 at Ellis Park.

And after giving Coetzee and his side a rinsing following their first Test defeat, the South African press were more satisfied with what they saw second time round, however they still delivered a fairly tempered response.

Following a disastrous first half performance, there has been praise for the reaction Coetzee inspired from his players in the second.

In the Times Live Chumani Bambani writes: “Frustration and diminishing hope could be sensed halfway through the match on Saturday‚ and this was confirmed by the fans on the stands booing the Boks off the field as they headed for the dressing room at the half-time break.

“Coetzee took charge with some brutal honesty in the changeroom with his players and he also stamped his authority by making immediate and crucial changes before the team went back onto the field for the second half.

“It paid dividends as an instant change in the team’s demeanour and performance was evident‚ with his charges fighting until the end to save the series. “

Writing in the SA RugbyMag former Springboks player and coach Nick Mallett also paid tribute to the second half show: "That first half was dreadful and the next 15 minutes after the break. We said why aren't we scoring when we need to get into the game immediately?

"Then Warren Whiteley, Ruan Combrinck, Franco Mostert and Julian Redelinghuys came on and there was a noticeable change in terms of tempo to the Bok game. Suddenly Faf de Klerk looked at ease on the ball, Elton Jantjies looked more confident and, more importantly, suddenly Willie le Roux found more space. That was the reason we won."

However while the second half saw an improvement from South Africa, Mallett still believes the showing left a lot to be desired.

He writes: “’Let’s not say it was a great second half either because after 60 minutes we were down 26-10. So, it was a great last 20 minutes and we can perhaps thank the altitude.

“There’s no doubt the Irish fell off a few tackles at the end of that game, which didn’t happen at Newlands or during the first hour of this game. Ireland were pretty much out on their feet at the end of the game.”

And also in the SA RugbyMag Jon Cardinelli, who was particularly scathing of the Springboks after the Cape Town defeat, remains highly sceptical.

He writes: “In a similar way, the emotional win against Ireland this past Saturday demands reflection. Granted, there were moments in the second half where the Boks played some good rugby and the crowd cheered as if their team had recaptured the Webb Ellis Cup.

“But these moments were few and far between, and the collective performance was, to sum it up in one word, shocking.”

He adds: “Everything that Coetzee said in the buildup to the Ellis Park match made perfect sense. You need to win the physical battle. You need to play for territory. You need to stay ahead on the scoreboard and build the pressure. All of this is in line with trends of modern rugby.

“But perhaps Coetzee should spend less time lecturing the media and public on points that are plain for all to see. Perhaps he needs to invest more energy into impressing this message on his charges. On the evidence of the past two performances, this Bok team does not buy into Coetzee’s philosophy or does not have the skill and intelligence to implement it.”

And Cardinelli believes both sides have a shout in the final Test in Port Elizabeth: “Both teams will go into the decisive third Test with some confidence. The Boks have won their first match under new coach Allister Coetzee. Ireland got within touching distance of a historic series win. While they didn’t get there in Johannesburg, there will be another chance for them to do so in Port Elizabeth.”

One game to go, and everything to play for.