How Wales stopped the Bok maul

Wales’ tactics to target the Springbok line-out were largely successful on Saturday, even though they were nowhere near legal.

The combination of Adam Beard playing the jumper early and the support players targeting the Springbok support players in the lineout meant the Boks never got a solid foundation to launch their much-vaunted lineout maul from - until the end of the game.

Ironically when it mattered, they set on Duane Vermeulen for the first time in the game, and while the jumper was lifted off the ground in the maul, the momentum served the only try of the game and a Springbok victory.

Still, a lineout weapon was partly negated by negative tactics, and New Zealand referee Paul Williams only penalised it a few times while it was employed at every single lineout.

And like most sides, playing close to the line was effective, and Wales got away with it for most of the game.

It is a tactic that Scotland will look at this weekend, and the Boks will be talking to referee Angus Gardner about, especially given the impact it had on their attack during last weekend’s match.

The plan not only stopped the Bok momentum, but also allowed Wales to push the maul backwards, allowing them more momentum and the Boks to start from scratch.

The Welsh also lifted the man at the front, something that is taboo in rugby, and got away with it as well.

Either way, while many will point that in rugby you get away with what you can and coaches coach so close to the line that sometimes it is blurred, the Boks will be fuming with the fact it negated a clear strength in their game.

It won’t be surprising if Scotland try the same and have taken notes on how the Boks were stopped.

After all, it is likely to appear early on and if the referee allows it, there is no motivation for the defending side to stop.

The Boks will need to think alternative plans and be a bit more creative.

But it was clear for all to see on Saturday how Wales got away with something they shouldn’t have. And how it stopped the Boks plans - at least temporarily.