Eddie Jones backs Springboks’ ‘bold’ bomb squad tactic

Last Friday, the Springboks notably named seven forwards on their bench in a 7-1 split that gave new meaning to the team’s bomb squad strength.

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Although this bench configuration only came into effect after a late injury to Willie le Roux, it has caused a big debate in some rugby circles, with former Scotland rugby coach Matt Williams suggesting South Africa were “abusing the bench” and jeopardising player safety.

“What South Africa did is totally against the spirit of the game and certainly against player safety… World Rugby should act and say ‘during the World Cup you need 3 backs on the bench,” he commented during a wide-ranging rant.

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However, the Springboks have received support from Jones – who served as a consultant under Jake White in 2007 – while it’s understood that World Rugby will also not prevent South Africa from employing this tactic at the World Cup.

“Tradition maybe says 5-3, but that doesn’t mean it’s right,” Jones told reporters. “If you are going to play a heavy dominant forward game, why wouldn’t you have more forward players on the bench?

“Rugby is changing, the way it is refereed and officiated off the field is changing, it’s just a sign of the times.

“Who says you have to have eight forwards and seven backs (in your starting team)? You don’t have to. There are different ways to play the game,” the Wallabies coach added.

“I applaud South Africa for being so bold and courageous in the way they want to play. That is great innovation.”

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Williams, who coached Scotland between 2003 and 2005, also urged World Rugby to act out against this tactic.

“What South Africa did is totally against the spirit of the game and certainly against player safety. The South Africans are just abusing the bench at the moment,” Williams told Off the Ball’s Monday Night Rugby.

“The bench [orignially] came in all for safety reasons. People didn’t come on for positions they weren’t trained for so we weren’t putting back rowers in the front row. Everything was done for a reason.

“They had seven forwards [against New Zealand]. Seven forwards… really? Seriously? And World Rugby has just got to act on this. The way you fix it is say you must have three recognised backs on your bench. And that stops it. But right now South Africa just change the whole pack.”