As both a World Cup winning five-eighth and an analyst in retirement, Joel Stransky could work out rugby’s most complex puzzles with ease. But one still stumps the Springboks legend: why do South Africa have such a poor record against the Wallabies in Australia?
“I don’t know,” says Stransky, who kicked three penalties and two drop goals in the 1995 World Cup final to secure a famous win against the All Blacks that reshaped rugby history. “I think it’s probably a culmination of a lot of factors.
“With Australia, they just always believe. They have unbelievable confidence and self-belief, even when they’re down and suffering and struggling a little bit, they still believe they can win.
“They smarten up against us. Their smart tactics have worked and overcome our game plan when it’s really mattered.
“Maybe there is a bit of the travel [fatigue], normally we stop in Australia as the first leg of a tour before we go to New Zealand.
“Maybe we look at Australia and deep down, we think we should be winning, and maybe we’re overconfident. I just don’t know.”
South Africa’s Joel Stransky crosses the line to score against Australia in the opening match of the 1995 World Cup. Credit: Fairfax
Stransky played five of his 22 Tests against the Wallabies, including his debut in a victory at Sydney Football Stadium in 1993. Before Saturday’s sold-out Rugby Championship opener at Suncorp Stadium, Stransky believes that the perception of the Wallabies throughout South Africa has been strengthened with the appointment of Joe Schmidt as coach.
“I think rugby is in good hands in Australia,” Stransky said. “Joe [Schmidt] is a wonderful coach and he is the right guy to drive it forward and to resurrect it. Joe is a good man. And I think rugby is in good hands [in Australia], but it needs to be in good hands, doesn’t it?
“Because I think the view from South Africa is that of the southern hemisphere countries, Australia is probably the one that is suffering the most at the moment.”
Stransky remembers Rassie Erasmus as a player who constantly analysed the game, and has not been surprised at his evolution into an outstanding coach. Erasmus is constantly looking to experiment, and the two opening Tests against the Wallabies will provide him with the perfect laboratory to express himself.
Stransky is a huge admirer of Springboks coach Rassie Erasmus.Credit: Getty
“He’s a rugby genius,” Stransky said. “He is an absolute genius. What he’s done with everyone he’s played with or coached has been phenomenal.
“When he was a player, He was hard-working, he was out of the box, he was thinking differently. He was doing things that other players weren’t expecting. He was dragging players around him along for that ride as well … and I think as a coach, he’s been very similar.
“I think that probably his greatest strength is he understands every strength and weakness of every player, every strength and every weakness of the opposition, and every strength and weakness of the referee and the laws of the game.
“And he combines all that knowledge to work out how best to play for his team to play, and how best to play against the opposition and how best to make use of the laws, and that’s what the Springboks have done. He picks warriors, he picks team players and he picks players who fit in and can play his game plan.”
Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, the latest huge talent off the South Africa conveyor beltCredit: Getty Images
As a former five-eighth of note, Stransky is excited about the Springboks’ latest superstar-in-waiting Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, who will make his first Test start in the No.10 jersey against the Wallabies. The 22-year-old is a running five-eighth, equally comfortable as a centre, who can break open defences at will.
“I think what this [Springbok] team needs is some young blood, some fresh ideas, the exuberance of youth,” Stransky said. “There’s no doubt [Feinberg-Mngomezulu] has got huge talent, and he’s got a real maturity that goes with that talent. Physically he’s got all the attributes and I think he’s shown that as a young guy, when it’s really mattered.
“He has stepped up and shown he can handle the pressure. I think he’s a perfect fit, and I’m delighted to see him picked him in the starting line-up because it will put a little bit more pressure on him – but it’s a pressure I think he’ll thrive under.”
Watch all the action from The Rugby Championship with every match streaming ad-free, live and on demand on Stan Sport. Round 1 kicks off Saturday, August 10 with Wallabies v South Africa (2pm AEST) and All Blacks v Argentina (4:30pm AEST).
