All Blacks’ Band of Brothers ready to face up to Boks’ Bomb Squad

All Blacks replacement forward Dalton Papali'i says if the Boks can have a Bomb Squad maybe their bench can form a Band of Brothers.

The Bok Bomb Squad has wreaked havoc since 2019 and its existence has its detractors. It is, however, often talked about with envy and Papali'i is of the thinking if you can't beat them, join them.

“I'll tell you a quick story, I've got a little group happening in the team room at our hotel and we're watching Band of Brothers and the 101st Airborne and their Easy Company. So, I made a little joke saying, 'You know they've got the 'Bomb Squad', so we could have the 'Easy Company'. We want to go and finish the job and be in the trenches'.”

The All Blacks are up against the Bomb Squad again on Saturday in the Rugby World Cup final at Stade de France and Papali'i clearly has admiration for the men who step off the bench, whether in seven/one configuration as was deployed the last time the Springboks played the All Blacks, or the more recent and universally palatable five/three split. While the starting Bok pack laid a platform against the All Blacks in London, the heavy artillery off the bench proved equally unrelenting.

More lately the five/three split dug the Boks out of a hole against France and England helping the defending champions secure one-point wins.

“Talking about the Bomb Squad, man they've proven themselves,” enthused Papali'i. “They can come on and change a game like that. So we sort of need to identify whoever is on the bench, need to really be screwed on up top and give it hell.”

Forwards coach Jason Ryan, who would not look out of place in a Jack Ryan or Jason Statham movie, also rolled up his sleeves at the topic.

“It would be good to take some gas out of that bomb, wouldn't it? They have got their DNA as a forward pack. We've got trust in our plan this week and we believe we will be able to be there right until the end.”

He doesn't believe the Bomb Squad is an overplayed topic.

“No, they [the Boks] are just playing to their strengths. It's a big part of what they do. It's worked for them.

"We've got a good plan. The referees will make their decision on what they see. Those pictures have got to be clear, especially in big moments.”

It is difficult to avoid the fighting talk in the build-up to a clash between the game's two enduring superpowers. The fact that this weekend's clash is a World Cup final only magnifies the occasion, and the need to get stuck in.

The Springboks and the physicality they bring is an inextricable part of the conversation.

“The physicality is a big challenge,” admitted Ryan. “They really pride themselves on their physicality and they are good at it. It's a big part of what they do.”

Ryan made the point, however, that the Boks aren't just brutes. They bring raw power and technical excellence to the set pieces.

“They've also brought some good variation in some of their line-outs and their defence is right on. They are pressuring teams and they are good around the breakdown.

"All parts of their game they have been chipping away at to set themselves up for this final.”

On that score, he didn't blink when asked whether Bomb Squad member Ox Nché has caught his eye. “Telling you mate, it does. He is some human, isn't he? Wow.

"He is pretty strong at what he does but we've got a pretty good plan we believe in as well. We'll be up for it.”