Aplon excited by Bok 7-1 split

09/21/2023 04:53 AM

Gio Aplon says the Springboks are hiding their plans to beat Ireland in plain sight by unleashing a seven-one split on the bench in Paris.

The Boks pulled off a surprise for the crucial World Cup pool clash on Saturday by naming seven forwards among their substitutes to face the world number one.

MORE: Ireland to defuse the Nuke Squad

South Africa's 'Nuke Squad' for the game has raised eyebrows, and it's no secret that Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber aim to physically batter the Irish into submission by deploying seven replacement forwards.

However, in a thread on X (formerly Twitter), former Bok wing Aplon decoded Erasmus and Nienaber’s gameplan by taking a closer look at the personnel on South Africa’s bench.

“Makes you focus on the 7/1 split to let you forget about 3 serious fetchers being on the field the last 25min to counter the intensity. #Inplainsight,” wrote Aplon.

“Losing Malcolm [Marx] was absolutely massive as he is a double threat(scrum/breakdown penalties). [But] ‘maybe’ losing the scrum threat with the bomb squad attacking the breakdown harder will generate the penalties that might be lost with the scrum..

“The game plan won’t change, the source of penalties which gives the team energy is just with Ireland having intensity the last 25min with’ likely’ a neutral breakdown will become crucial….,” Aplon added.

MULLER: Boks have to lose to win

The Springboks have three expert breakdown jackals on the bench in Deon Fourie, Marco van Staden and Kwagga Smith. All three players are also versatile, with Fourie and Van Staden both able to cover hooker, while Smith can cover the backline due to his sevens experience.

Makes you focus on the 7/1 split to let you forget about 3 serious fetchers being on the field the last 25min to counter the intensity…#Inplainsight

— Gio Aplon (@1GioAplon) September 20, 2023

The Game plan won’t change,the source of penalties which gives the team energy is just with Ireland having intensity the last 25min with’ likely’ a neutral breakdown will become crucial….

— Gio Aplon (@1GioAplon) September 20, 2023

Photo: Twitter/@Springboks

The post Aplon excited by Bok 7-1 split appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.