No scrums? No problem Springboks for
The Rugby Paper|August 18, 2024
LAST week in Brisbane Pieter Steph Du Toit famously asked Luke Pearce: "Where's the scrum?" when presented with a choice of three separate penalties.
BRENDAN GALLAGHER
No scrums? No problem Springboks for

This week in Perth it was literally a case of "Where's the scrum?" as an already chaotic game was reduced to potential farce with uncontested scrums for the last half hour.

With the game still in the balance the Boks, for a few seconds anyway, looked concerned as their most fearsome weapon was at a stroke taken away. Both Du Toit and Eben Etzebeth spoke earnestly with referee Paul Williams to query the call.

Williams nodded confidently and then South Africa showed exactly why they are world champions with their ability to adapt and thrive. No scrums? No problem? We will just mail the opposition into oblivion.

And that's exactly what they did, scoring three tries from lineout rumbles and rolling mauls. Denied their opportunity to use their heft at scrum time they concentrated on the rolling maul. Such is their proficiency expect World Rugby to rush out yet another set of law variations to blunt their irresistible dominance.

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