Big boots to fill — rampant Boks still need to find their golden goal kicker

Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu of South Africa converts their kick after being awarded a penalty during the friendly against Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate in Bristol on 17 November 2022. (Photo: Clive Rose / Getty Images)

By Jon Cardinelli

13 Oct 2024

Top of the charts by every other measure, the Boks lag behind in goal kicking.

The Springboks dominated the Rugby Championship, winning five of their six matches in spite of Rassie Erasmus’s commitment to squad development as well as a move towards a more attacking game.

South African rugby is stronger than ever, and as a result, expectations are sky-high ahead of the three-match tour to the UK this November.

Though a change of tack may be required on the weather-afflicted fields of the northern hemisphere, there’s plenty of statistical evidence to suggest that the Boks have the tools to adapt. At the same time, there’s at least one reason to be concerned.

As a coach with an eye for detail, Erasmus would have noted how the Boks topped most of the attack, defence and kicking stats in the Rugby Championship, but finished dead last in the department of goal kicking.

The sub-par performance must be addressed if the Boks hope to beat Scotland, England and Wales, and continue to build for the 2027 World Cup.

Strength becomes a weakness

Essentially, the problem is one of depth.

Erasmus rotated his squad over the course of the Rugby Championship, and got some valuable answers about various positions and roles. That said, the search for an alternative goal kicker continues.

Handré Pollard booted the Boks to glory in the 2019 World Cup, and held his nerve to nail a series of match-winning kicks in the 2023 tournament. This season, the Bok flyhalf has averaged 81% in front of goal.

Other kickers have been less accurate over the past few seasons, and across the 10 Tests in 2024. Unless something changes over the coming months, the Boks may have to pin all their goal-kicking hopes on one man in 2027, just as they did in 2023.

Back in 2019, the Boks were blessed with two world-class goal kickers in Pollard and Elton Jantjies. Frans Steyn provided another deadly option, and specialised in long-range penalty attempts.

In 2021, Pollard’s form fluctuated over the course of a fiercely contested series against the British & Irish Lions. As a result, Erasmus and coach Jacques Nienaber included Morné Steyn on the bench for the third and decisive Test.

The insurance policy paid off. Steyn was deployed in the latter stages, and proceeded to nail two kicks that guided the Boks to a 19-16 victory.

Unfortunately, just as the Boks appeared to be strengthening their flyhalf and goal-kicking stocks, Morné Steyn retired from international rugby. Jantjies left the side in late 2022 to address a series of personal issues, and Frans Steyn hung up his boots after a long battle with injury.

The Boks were already without Pollard at that stage, who was recovering from a serious knee injury of his own.

Boks kicking Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu converts a penalty during a friendly between Bristol Bears and South Africa XV at Ashton Gate in Bristol, England, on 17 November 2022 in Bristol, England. (Photo: Clive Rose / Getty Images)

They played some excellent rugby at the back end of the 2022 Rugby Championship and on the four-Test tour of Europe, but were made to regret the absence of an established goal kicker in the marquee clash against Ireland in Dublin.

Starting flyhalf Damian Willemse and part-time kicker Cheslin Kolbe combined for three misses – spurning seven potential points. The Boks went on to lose 19-16.

There was no need for deep goal-kicking analysis after the 27-13 win against England at Twickenham. All anyone wanted to talk about was Willemse’s electric stint at flyhalf, newcomer Manie Libbok’s impact from the bench, and Kurt-Lee Arendse’s iconic try.

And yet, by that stage, the Boks had moved on to their seventh goal-kicking option of the season, namely scrumhalf Faf de Klerk.

Pollard continued to struggle with injuries in 2023, and was left out of the initial World Cup squad that travelled to France. During this period, the noise about the quality of South Africa’s goal kicking rose to a clamour.

Libbok justified his position as the starting No 10 with a series of important contributions in general play, but missed three attempts at goal in the World Cup opener against Scotland, which the Boks won 18-3.

The absence of a reliable goal-kicker eventually told in the Pool B showdown against Ireland. Libbok and De Klerk combined for four misses – and spurned 11 potential points. The Boks went on to lose 13-8.

Pollard recovered and was parachuted into the squad after a serious injury to hooker Malcolm Marx – a risky selection that highlighted the Boks’ need for a reliable goal-kicker. As was the case in the 2021 Lions series, the move paid off – although this time it was Pollard who served as the backup to the less-experienced Libbok.

The veteran nailed match-winning kicks in the playoffs against France and England, and kicked all of the Boks’ points in the 12-11 victory over New Zealand in the final. He never missed a kick at RWC 2023.

Untimely setback

Erasmus has used five goal kickers over the past 10 Tests.

Pollard (81%) and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (79%) have been used the most and, on the basis of their recent performances, deserve further investment in the lead-up to 2027.

Are two recognised goal kickers enough, though? The lack of a sharpshooter has already been felt this season, whenever Pollard or Feinberg-Mngomezulu have been absent.

In the first match against Argentina in Santiago, Libbok pushed a last-minute penalty attempt wide, and the Boks went on to lose 29-28. Though some critics demanded that Libbok be axed for that mistake, the real issue was the absence of a reliable goal kicker at a do-or-die stage of the game.

The next week, Erasmus took the responsibility away from Libbok, and the player proceeded to spearhead one of South Africa’s finest attacking performances. There was much to celebrate in the wake of the Boks’ 48-7 triumph in Mbombela.

Read more: Rolling manoeuvres — how the Boks became rugby’s least-predictable team

In the context of building for 2027, there was one reason to be concerned, as the newly appointed kicker Jaden Hendrikse missed three of his six attempts. As if to highlight the gulf between himself and the rest, Pollard slotted three from three when he was introduced from the bench in the second stanza.

It will be interesting to see how Erasmus manages the situation in the coming months. Feinberg-Mngomezulu has shown an aptitude for the role, but is recovering from a serious knee injury that could – according to Stormers coach John Dobson – take some time to heal.

Should the Boks continue to work with Libbok, and possibly Willemse, who recently returned from a long injury layoff?

Over the past two seasons both players have had the goal-kicking responsibility taken away from them, and their general play has improved as a result.

Both Hendrikse brothers have kicked for the Boks this year, but neither is the first-choice kicker at the Sharks. Jordan slotted a long-range penalty goal in the recent Currie Cup final, and Jaden has been given the responsibility at the Boks. Nevertheless, the Sharks continue to favour the metronomic Siya Masuku as their premier goal kicker when all three options are available.

Will the Hendrikse brothers develop in this department if they’re not kicking regularly at franchise level?

The Boks should have Pollard in tow this November, and ultimately a means to slot any potential late winners against Scotland, England and Wales. With a view to 2027, however, Erasmus will want another kicker to make the most of this chance, and provide an answer to one of South African rugby’s most pressing questions. DM

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper, which is available countrywide for R35.

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South Africa

Strength becomes a weakness

Untimely setback