Boks in seventh heaven after crushing All Blacks but coach Nienaber says improvement needed in some areas

If Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber was elated after his team's record win over the All Blacks, he hid it very well on Friday night.

His team delivered a performance of intent winning 35-7 against their greatest rivals at Twickenham.

The previous biggest margin was achieved in 1928 when they won 17-0.

The Springboks were in the ascendancy from the outset but a resolute All Blacks defence kept them out initially, In fact, All Blacks defence was sublime.

The Boks did go on to score five tries and thoroughly dominated the collisions, scrums and line-outs but Nienaber, typically drew attention to the areas he felt needed improvement ahead of the Rugby World Cup.

“There were seven chances we did not use in the first half. In the RWC where pressure is huge you are going to get four chances in a game. You have to use them.”

The Boks head for a training camp in Corsica and being more clinical with the try line a sniff away will be high on their priority list.

Nienaber though was pleased the match served the purpose for which it was intended.

This clash was crucial for both teams, whose players no longer do combat in Super Rugby. With the familiarity that brings out the window an extra match outside the Rugby Championship was needed to put bodies and minds to the ultimate test.

While the All Blacks now have a lot of head-scratching, the Springboks got what they came for, and more.

“This was a proper Test, and it was exactly what we wanted before the World Cup,” said Nienaber.

“Wales play a different style of rugby to New Zealand, who pride themselves on their high intensity and high tempo game, so it was good preparation for us.”

What Nienaber will also be pleased about is his squad's ability to roll with the punches.

The Boks were potentially left vulnerable just before kickoff when regular fullback Willie le Roux, who was earmarked for the bench injured his ribs in training.

Instead of replacing him with another back he opted to bring in Kwagga Smith, which gave the Bok bench a Test rugby first seven/one split in favour of the forwards.

Smith was outstanding when he made it on.

“It was an unfortunate incident and we didn’t want to risk Willie. We have been talking about it, not necessarily going seven/one but with cards and the like, the possibility of using loose forwards in the backline. Also nines covering wings.

“With the way games have been playing out, there are times when your forwards have to play in the backline, and this offered us the same option.”

On the whole the Twickenham experience would have been deeply satisfying for the Boks. As far as could be ascertained they did not add to their list of injuries. More importantly, the players in key positions showed encouraging form.

Crucially too captain Siya Kolisi, who was the first to prise open the New Zealand defence, got more game time after his long layoff.

He now looks primed for the RWC.

Manie Libbok who has taken flak for his goal kicking over the last fortnight, converted all five conversions that he teed up.

The Springbok scrum performed a proper demolition job on the All Blacks.

Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx and Steven Kitshoff did their reputation justice.

When Bongi Mbonambi, Trevor Nyakane and Ox Nche came on the scrum was even more devastating.

With so much front foot ball the backline could lengthen their stride.

André Esterhuizen seized the moment with his powerful surges, Canan Moodie put on show his extraordinary range of talents, Kurt-Lee Arendse was wide-eyed to opportunity, while the fleet-footed Damian Willemse was named the man of the match.

In the end though, the Boks left Twickenham with more options. Arriving for their opening RWC clash against Scotland will now be a pleasantly tough task.