The Springboks arrived in Cape Town this week like a wounded pack determined to bare their teeth. Their Ellis Park implosion against the Wallabies, a 38-22 unraveling that left the faithful stunned, still lingers like the sting of a poorly timed tackle. But utility back Canan Moodie insists that the bruises from Johannesburg will be converted into positives.
Everyone is extremely disappointed, and we are hurting. But as coach Rassie said, we know what we have to do. This week we need to stack the positives and ensure that we stick to our plans on the day.
Moodie, equally at home at centre or wing, is tipped to feature in Erasmus’ reshuffled backline. With Siya Kolisi sidelined by a knee injury and Pieter-Steph du Toit ruled out by concussion, the Boks are missing leaders, tone-setters, and men who normally steady the ship when the seas get rough.
Add to that the absence of Kurt-Lee Arendse and Edwill van der Merwe out wide, and Erasmus’ back-three resembles more of a construction site than a finished product.
Yet Moodie remains unflustered, echoing Erasmus’ mantra of precision and cohesion.
Our defence has to complement our attack, and our kicking game has to be spot on this week, so this is an important week for us.
The message is clear: the Boks cannot afford another misfire. Their Ellis Park performance was riddled with unforced errors and defensive lapses, like a team trying to build a house without first laying the foundation. The Wallabies happily played squatters in their chaos.
Cape Town, then, becomes the proving ground. Can the Boks turn pain into purpose, channel frustration into ferocity, and patch their battered lineup into a unit capable of delivering a statement win?
For Moodie, the blueprint is simple: “We know what we have to do.”
Now it’s a matter of whether the Springboks can stitch their broken rhythm back together before the Wallabies smell blood again.
