Ken Borland

The Springboks are still on track to win the Rugby Championship following a bonus point win over Argentina in Buenos Aires.

They are now level on points (14) with New Zealand ahead of their final fixture, again versus Argentina, but this time in Durban next Saturday.

So the Springboks need to better whatever the All Blacks result is against the Wallabies, while they also have a 13-point deficit in points difference to make up.

As impressive as their composure and finishing was in Buenos Aires, these are the work-ons the Springboks need to focus on ahead of the Kings Park decider.

Not allowing themselves to be trapped on the back foot

The Springboks were so dominant both in terms of territory and possession in the first half that it was a major surprise when the momentum shifted so thoroughly in the third quarter, which the visitors spent mostly on defence.

Argentina undoubtedly raised their intensity in a last-ditch effort to stay in contention for their maiden Sanzar title, and a passionate crowd added to the sense of mania, but the Springboks contributed to their torrid time by perhaps relying too much on the 22-6 lead they had built up in the first half.

These dips in intensity from the Springboks have been a feature of their campaign, and captain Siya Kolisi was quite right when he said they will need an 80-minute performance of high intensity in Durban if they are to get their hands on the trophy.

Wednesday is flyhalf D-Day

With Damian Willemse almost certainly concussed and unavailable for the decider, we will know on Wednesday how coach Jacques Nienaber is going to solve his flyhalf conundrum, with Handre Pollard injured and Elton Jantjies out of the public eye after his out-of-wedlock activities.

The only real options remaining in the squad are Willie le Roux and Francois Steyn.

Le Roux has great attacking instincts, his timing of passes being superb, while Steyn is a powerful presence in defence, carrying the ball and with the boot. Whoever is chosen needs to wed those strengths with the game-management demands of the game, which will be intricate depending on what the Springboks have to do to overhaul the All Blacks.

Don’t let ill-discipline end in tears

While the Springboks covered themselves in glory by showing great composure and character to weather a massive storm and seal victory after Argentina had pulled to within two points, they can still improve on their discipline.

They conceded two yellow cards and 16 penalties, and were it not for poor finishing by the Pumas, they would have been punished for it. If Argentina are as abrasive again but more clinical in Durban, then South Africa will need to show incredible composure.

Missed tackles feed the momentum

While the Springboks scrambled well in Buenos Aires, they missed 22 tackles, which just feeds the momentum of a team like the Pumas, who rely so much on emotion and are dangerous when allowed to attack on the front foot.

It is a concentration thing more than anything.

The Lions are a really tough side to break down at home, so Bulls coach Jake White was understanding of his team’s problems in managing their attacking ball, and grateful that they didn’t just resort to terrible kicks straight down the field from their own half in their United Rugby Championship opener at Ellis Park at the weekend.

The Bulls eventually won comfortably enough, 31-15, but that scoreline does not reflect how competitive the Lions were. The scores were level at 15-15 with half-an-hour to go, and the Bulls needed a trio of Chris Smith penalties to keep the home side at bay, before a late maul try by replacement hooker Jan-Hendrik Wessels bumped up their score even further.

One could argue that the Bulls allowed the Lions back into the game through some ambitious game-management that saw them largely spurn kicking from the back. But White was pleased with the attacking intent shown by his new-look backline.

“I have no doubt the Lions targeted this game and we always knew it would be tough, it is always tough to win here,” White said after the match. “The Lions have their own style, they are a difficult side to break down and get rhythm on attack against.

“Our attack started well and the cohesion looked good enough, but as the game unfolded we left a few points out there. We conceded six penalties in the last eight minutes of the first half.

“In some cases we over-played, forced things, in our own half, but I don’t want them to just kick the ball down the field. I want us to feel comfortable keeping the ball.

“It was the first time this backline had played together and over time it will come right, the ability to transfer pressure into points, the understanding of the space at the back at times,” White said.

In any case, an away win when a team like Munster lost on the road and Leinster very nearly suffered an upset at lowly Zebre, will sooth any concerns White has.

“An away win is a massive bonus, you have to get a couple to do well in this competition. I enjoyed the way we showed composure.

“At 15-3 up you think you can let your hair down and play a bit, and then suddenly it’s 15-15 with 30 minutes to go. You don’t really want to bring your bench on when you’re up against it.

“But the bench came on, they were able to get cohesive, and they won that area this afternoon. You’re obviously not going to be that cohesive from Day One.

“But once we understand how to create pressure, wave-after-wave of it, then we can create that uncertainty in the opposition,” White said.

The SA20 is meant to be a ray of hope for the embattled coffers of South African cricket, but it is also going to provide a global platform for local players to display their talents and hopefully further their careers.

The good news for the country’s best T20 players is that the competition for their signatures is expected to be most fierce in Monday’s auction in Cape Town, which should drive up prices. It has been noticeable how, due to the weakness of the rand, overseas players’ reserve prices are much higher, meaning in many cases, South African players represent better value.

“You play half your matches at home, so that has a big impact,” Sunrisers Eastern Cape coach Adrian Birrell said. “You need to get the right players for the right venue, and we’ll be trying the best we can to buy for St George’s Park, players who have done well there. I’m sure the Wanderers and SuperSport Park will do the same thing.

“The opportunity to go for one or two big South African players we would like to have is why we did not spend up front and have only pre-signed Aiden Markram and Ottneil Baartman.

“I think us and the Pretoria franchise [who have just pre-signed Anrich Nortje and Migael Pretorius] have the most money. You can strategise well with that extra money and we have a good chance of getting the players we want,” Birrell said.

So what good-value buys should the six franchises be targeting as they look to spend what is remaining of their R34 million budget to fill all 17 spots on their playing rosters? Ten of those places must go to South Africans.

Daryn Dupavillon

All six franchises will have their eyes on people who can bowl flat-out fast. While Nortje and Kagiso Rabada have been pre-signed, and competition will be intense for Marco Jansen, KZN Dolphins star Dupavillon represents good value. Arguably the fastest bowler in South Africa, his sheer pace will bring plenty of heat to opposition batsmen and test their ability to choose and execute the correct stroke in a split-second.

Dwaine Pretorius

The 33-year-old provides an ideal T20 package as an experienced all-rounder. As a bowler, he can bowl up front with swing, in the middle overs with cutters or at the death with his wide yorkers. And as a batsman, he is a power-hitter and can hit boundaries from ball one, which is crucial for that role.

Lungi Ngidi

Unburdened by injury, Ngidi has been in superb form for the Proteas, having the batsmen in chains in the opening overs. He will be even more dangerous in South Africa, where his steepling bounce from a good length comes into play, while his clever slower balls will still be effective.

Tabraiz Shamsi

Shamsi’s brilliance as a white-ball bowler, one of the best in the world, should be recognised and Sunrisers Eastern Cape could make a big move for him, thanks to his excellent record at St George’s Park – in 14 T20s there he has taken 19 wickets and concedes just 6.74 runs-per-over. Pretoria Capitals could get involved in a bidding war though to get him back to his current home ground.

Tristan Stubbs

This 22-year-old is so exciting, people are now going to matches just to watch him bat. Sunrisers Eastern Cape no doubt want him to play at his home ground, but every single franchise is going to be after his services. He has taken to international cricket with aplomb, showing his ability to clear the boundary and also keep his run-rate high with ones and twos.

Reeza Hendricks

In magnificent form at the moment and marvellous to watch when in full flight, Hendricks scored back-to-back centuries in the 2018 Mzansi Super League. He’s probably a better batsman now and most of the franchises will be thinking long and hard about getting him in at the top of the order.

SOUTHBROOM, KwaZulu-Natal – Wynand Dingle finally has his maiden Sunshine Tour title to his name with a thrilling victory in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Series San Lameer event, as the challenges of Jaco Prinsloo and Sean Bradley died in the closing holes on Saturday.

Dingle shot a scintillating six-under-par 66 to finish on 16-under-par for the tournament, one stroke ahead of Prinsloo, who also fired a 66, but paid the price for only being able to par the last three holes, following a streak of three successive birdies from the 13^th.

The 38-year-old Dingle, meanwhile, picked up a crucial birdie on the par-five 17^th, having also birdied the par-four 15^th.

Earlier Bradley, who began eagle-birdie for a phenomenal start, and then picked up two more shots on the front nine, had taken the lead on 15-under with back-to-back birdies on the 12^th and 13^th holes. But disaster then struck for the 27-year-old from Royal Cape Golf Club as he left the par-three 14^th hole with a triple-bogey six. It killed his challenge and he ended with a three-under 69 to finish four strokes back on 12-under-par.

The day belonged to Dingle, however, who, despite several close misses and the frustration that brings, peacefully went about nailing down his first win in his 192^nd Sunshine Tour event.

The Silver Lakes Country Club golfer dropped just one shot on the final day, at the par-four seventh, and despite the pressure put on him by both Prinsloo and Bradley when they were running hot, Dingle kept his cool superbly during the closing holes.

Overnight leader Danie van Niekerk had a tough day, capped by a double-bogey seven at the 17^th, to finish with a 75 that dropped him into a tie for seventh place on eight-under with Harry Konig (67), Luke Jerling (69), Herman Loubser (69) and Rourke van der Spuy (71).

Malcolm Mitchell (67) and Luca Filippi (68) enjoyed excellent final rounds as they climbed into a share of fifth on nine-under, while Rupert Kaminski was alone in fourth on 10-under-par after shooting a 69 on Saturday.