Bomb Squad trend about balance, not numbers
Today at 03:07 AM
OPINION: England will not replicate the Springboks' second-half successes until they strike a better balance between youth and experience across the matchday squad.
The first round of the Six Nations yielded some interesting yet largely predictable results.
France thrashed Wales 43-0 in Paris, Scotland and Italy traded blows before the hosts won 31-19 in Edinburgh, and Ireland outlasted England to secure a 27-22 victory in Dublin.
In a sense, the first round taught us nothing new.
France and Ireland are the early favourites for the Six Nations title, while Scotland is exciting yet inconsistent.
Wales appear destined for the tournament wooden spoon, while England are on track for another mid-table finish.
While the post-match talking points are much the same, it's been interesting to see how half of the teams have adopted the six-two bench split – a selection strategy pioneered and perfected by Rassie Erasmus' Springboks.
When France, Italy, and England loaded their respective benches with six forwards ahead of the first round, it felt like a significant moment for the game.
It wasn't too long ago when critics from the northern hemisphere were hammering the Boks for such selections – with Ireland-based pundit Matt Williams labelling the policy unfair and contrary to the spirit of the game.
Some believe that these selections are a threat to player welfare, although such claims have been well countered by World Rugby's own Ross Tucker, who has evidence to suggest that the opposite may be true.
With all that in mind, it was interesting to see three Six Nations teams following this trend ahead of the opening round of the 2025 tournament.
The wider rugby community has been quick to highlight the hypocrisy of the northern hemisphere, who are now warming to the idea of harnessing an eight-man bench.
Indeed, Erasmus himself issued a playful response via social media at the weekend.
For six years, the six-two split was considered a threat to the very fabric of the game. Now there's nothing but love for the South African policy. Go figure.
Have the northern teams harnessed this strategy to good effect?
On Friday in Paris, France led 28-0 at half-time and actually lost momentum after the break.
Les Bleus still managed to win 43-0 despite a late red card for flyhalf Romain Ntamack - and that probably says more about the state of Welsh rugby than the strength of the French.
In Edinburgh, Italy hit back after trailing by 14 points, before succumbing to the death. Coach Gonzalo Quesada must be gutted that the Azzurri left the Scottish capital without so much as a losing bonus point.
How about England, who have become something of a case study in second-half surrenders over the past 12 months?
Steve Borthwick's side has been widely criticised in the wake of their capitulation against Ireland, and rightly so.
After winning the first half 10-5, England lost the second 12-22.
Fingers have been pointed at the leadership, or more specifically, the lack of support for captain Maro Itoje. Key decision-makers such as Marcus Smith have copped a lot of flak.
Those in the know often point out that Borthwick is an astute tactician, who is up to speed with the latest data and trends. In this respect, the England boss could be mentioned in the same breath as Erasmus, Jacques Nienaber, Andy Farrell, and other top coaches.
Whether Borthwick is a great selector – or whether he has truly embraced the idea of a 23-man matchday squad – is another story, as recent results confirm.
Erasmus and Nienaber have taken a lot of the heat in the past - often from the South African media - for selecting 'first-choice' players on the bench.
Malcolm Marx, Handré Pollard, and RG Snyman are just some of the superstars who have been selected for second-half duty in recent years.
A lot of critics and fans still subscribe to the traditional idea of fielding the best available XV from the outset. Even now, there are some who feel that tactical substitutions should be outlawed and that the starting team should play until they drop.
But rugby has evolved, and the physical and mental demands are greater than ever.
Players are stronger and fitter, but the ball-in-play time is much higher. As a result, front-rankers, for example, struggle to perform at their peak beyond the 55-minute mark.
More recently, we've seen coaches like Erasmus targeting the fourth quarter of big games.
Erasmus has picked bench combinations to target specific physical weaknesses in the opposition - scrum conditioning, for example - or to close out matches.
While the Bok boss has preached about balance since he was first appointed in 2018, it's in the past 12 months that he's taken that concept to the next level.
Erasmus used 50 players in 2024 and rotated his matchday 23 on a regular basis.
He made a point of picking youngsters alongside veterans in specific combinations and always ensured that the bench featured experienced players with the ability to manage the game at the death.
You can't blame England or the other teams for adopting the six-two split, especially in a Six Nations tournament where the forward battle is so immense.
That said, you have to ask whether Borthwick is too focused on the selection of his starting XV, and less concerned with his bench – even though the latter is so often tasked with closing out matches.
Word from the England camp is that former skipper Jamie George will return for the next match against France.
It will be interesting to see how Borthwick uses the vastly experienced hooker - as a starter, or as a key leadership figure from the bench.
Last week, England's bench featured Theo Dan, Fin Baxter, Joe Heyes, Ollie Chessum, Chandler Cunningham-South, Tom Willis, Harry Randall and Fin Smith.
Going into that match, the England bench collective had 81 caps, whereas some of the individuals among the Ireland reserve contingent – Cian Healy (134), Iain Henderson (84) and Conor Murray (120) - boasted more.
The Ireland coaches appreciate the need for balance, even though they don't necessarily subscribe to Erasmus' six-two strategy.
Jack Crowley is only 25, but like Marcus Smith, has been involved at the highest level for several years and has the experience to take on a more senior role in a squad of 23.
Coach Simon Easterby got it right this past week when he picked the youngster Sam Prendergast to start at No 10 and Crowley to play from the bench - rather than the other way around.
Given the way the game is played nowadays, and how top teams are managed, you could say that Crowley remains the main man for Ireland, given that the coaches are trusting him to finish the game.
Hooker Dan Sheehan has received plenty of plaudits, and the comparisons to Marx are justified.
In the wake of Sheehan's impressive performance in the second half, many are demanding his promotion to the starting XV.
Ireland are fortunate that they have two outstanding hookers in Ronan Kelleher and Sheehan, just as the Boks have in Bongi Mbonambi and Marx. Perhaps Sheehan is better suited as a sub - and could even play a role for the British & Irish Lions later this year.
Much like the Boks, Ireland understands the value of experience on the bench, and balance across the matchday 23.
I wouldn't be surprised if Ireland crack on to complete a Six Nations title three-peat - although so much hinges on the showdown with France in round four.
France also boasts a lot of depth in their squad, and it will be interesting to see how coach Fabien Galthié picks his starting XV and bench ahead of Le Crunch on Saturday.
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