Mixed messages continue to emerge from the Springboks camp

Mixed messages continued to emanate from the Springbok camp when assistant coach Franco Smith made an impassioned defence of the team’s back three only for wing Raymond Rhule to be axed hours later.

Rhule‚ who had started in all seven Tests this year‚ was one of the main culprits of the record 57-0 loss to the All Blacks in Albany two weeks ago‚ missing nine tackles.

Fullback Andries Coetzee and left wing Courtnall Skosan fared slightly better but were also unconvincing under the high ball and on defence against the surging power of the All Blacks.

Rhule‚ though‚ has been singled out for his indiscretions‚ even after coach Allister Coetzee defended him in the wake of the Albany setback.

"We forget how good Raymond Rhule was against Australia‚" Coetzee said on Monday.

"I am not the kind of coach that will just look at one game‚ one poor performance then I chuck him away.

"He was outstanding against Australia.

"There are few things that the All Blacks targeted and we will work on that. We will get that right and get him [Rhule] better."

Smith‚ who faced the media on Tuesday‚ was adamant that the back three would improve given more time together.

It felt that the backline coach was being genuine and not spinning a line‚ but when Rhule was jettisoned hours later‚ it did raise the question of what public relations game the Boks were playing at?

“The criticism the back three have taken is a perception‚” Smith said.

“It’s wrong because if you see how much ball has been dropped by the opposition and by their predecessors‚ it’s not much more.

“In fact there has been a big improvement.

"What must also be taken into consideration is that we have one of the most inexperienced back threes in international rugby.

“We will just have to work through this period.

"The new coaching staff and the decisions we took to change the way we play started at the beginning of 2017 and we have only had seven games together.

“More time is needed. There is a perception that we have been struggling over the past two years – we haven’t.

"We re-started in 2017 by picking players based in SA.

“Allister and the coaches decided that for us to be competitive at Rugby World Cup 2019‚ certain things need to happen.

“We must develop players and bring more players through. It’s a policy New Zealand started in 2004-2006 so that they would have 40 players of Test quality.

“We have only started with this policy this year and if every player works like they have been doing‚ we will change the perceptions about them.

“I deal with the stats every day and I know that it [the criticism the back three have had] is a perception.

"One of the most difficult things in rugby is to take a high ball and think of it as an attacking opportunity instead of just trying to stop the opposition getting it.”

Sharks wing S’busiso Nkosi was also sent back to his union after spending two days with the squad.

Provincial teammate and looseforward Dan du Preez was also deemed surplus to requirements with the arrival of Francois Louw‚ and returned to Durban as well.

Stormers wing Dillyn Leyds is set for his first Test start in place of Rhule.

 - TimesLIVE