Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx has explained how head coach Rassie Erasmus convinced his players to accept the Bomb Squad idea in 2019.
Marx said Erasmus called the players in, mainly the front-rowers, and talked them through the plan and the thinking behind it. He spoke about it on the Boks Unpacked X The Verdict show.
“He (Erasmus) called us all in obviously and we had a conversation,” Marx told the show. “It was more the front-rowers and obviously (he) spoke to us about what the plan is and what the reasoning is behind the plan and all of that.”
Marx said he was not sure who gave the group its famous name. He said it was either Francois Louw, known as Flo, or RG Snyman.
“We were like, ‘Well, there’s guys that start and guys that finish the game’ and we’re the okes (guys) that had to try and come off the bench and try and make an impact or try and change the game in a positive way,” Marx said. “Then that Bomb Squad thing just came out and it just sort of blew up a little bit.”
The Bomb Squad is a bench packed with forwards, often in a 6-2 or 7-1 split between forwards and backs. It is also a mindset. The starting players give everything while they are on the field. The replacements then come on and bring fresh energy.
According to Planet Rugby, the plan has helped the Springboks win two Rugby World Cups and a British and Irish Lions series. The bench has also helped them close out several matches.
Erasmus first surprised opponents with a 6-2 bench in several games at the 2019 World Cup in Japan. South Africa went on to win that tournament.
At the 2023 World Cup in France, he went further and used a 7-1 split in some matches. The Springboks again lifted the Webb Ellis Cup.
South Africa used the 7-1 bench in the final in Paris, where they beat New Zealand 12-11. They had first tried it in a warm-up match against the All Blacks at Twickenham, which they won 35-7.
Marx said the 7-1 split at Twickenham was one of the biggest calls Erasmus made. He said the team was ready to try it because many new ideas had worked for them before.
“It was hectic, but because of the years before that when things had been trialled and all of that and it worked, thinking outside of the box and doing something different doesn’t always mean it’s a bad thing,” he said.
“So, always when there’s new ideas and new things, we try and embrace it, we try and make it work the best that we can,” Marx added.
He admitted the plan carried risk, because the team had only one back on the bench. “We didn’t know what could have happened in the backline where maybe Kwagga (Smith) would have had to go to wing or something could have changed that differently. It’s risky but it’s worked,” Marx said.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Planet Rugby. Image: Planet Rugby. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Sports desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Tiyani Mathebula writes about sport for Tzaneen Voice. Tiyani covers Bafana Bafana, the Springboks, the Proteas and the PSL, along with athletics, tennis and local club sport. Match reports and previews focus on results, team news, fixtures and what each game means for South African teams and fans.