South Africa toying with controversial 7-1 bench

PARIS. — As South Africa weigh up their options before naming their team for Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final against hosts France, one of the biggest questions being whispered in the galleries is: will they play the 7-1 bench?

For the uninitiated this may seem to be a technical detail akin to tyre choices in Formula One but in a 23-man game it is of considerable importance.

But what is it and why has it polarised the rugby world to such an extent that Australia coach Eddie Jones can describe it as “daring and courageous” while his compatriot Matt Williams, a former Scotland coach, called it “not morally correct”?

In brief, each team has 15 starters and eight replacements, traditionally selected to cover all parts of the team.

Usually this would mean a split of five forwards — three for the front row, one each for second row and back row — as well as three backs. They would include a scrum-half, a fly-half and one utility back who might slot in at centre, full-back or on the wing.

In recent years, it has become more commonplace to see a 6-2 split with the extra forward coming in for one of the backs.

What the South African management team of Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber have done is seen as pretty radical —  having seven forwards on the bench and just one back.

On top of that, they have opted to change all seven at the same time, introducing the so-called “Shock Boks” around the 50-minute mark.

“The 7-1 split is really smart,” former Springbok fly-half Joel Stransky told AFP before the pool match against Ireland.

“It’s risky, though. If (fly-half) Manie Libbok pulls a hamstring in the third minute and someone else cramps up you have problems.

“But if you can get to 55 minutes with all your backs on the field and then you unload seven forwards, change virtually the whole pack, the opposition knows what’s coming.”

Stransky, however, who dropped the goal that won the 1995 World Cup, is aware that the strategy is not suitable for every team.

“You can only really do it if you have someone like Kwagga Smith who has played Sevens rugby and has the skill set of a back,” he said. “You know he’s not going to be a handicap.” — SuperSport.