WE KNEW SOUTH Africans loved scrummaging but we’ve never had as deep and passionate an insight as the latest episode of ‘Chasing the Sun 2′ delivers.
The behind-the-scenes documentary covers the Springboks’ World Cup success last year and the four episodes so far have been riveting, with one more to come. The latest chapter does more for the reputation of scrummaging than anything we’ve come across.
This is not far off an in-house job, of course. Rassie Erasmus himself is one of the executive producers. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t utterly compelling. It also doesn’t mean that the series won’t draw the Springboks closer to each and every South African who views it. Even if you’re not South African, you can’t help but come away from this with increased admiration for the Boks.
The first series of Chasing the Sun, which documented the 2019 World Cup victory, was brilliant but the second instalment has taken things to another level.
It’s no exaggeration to say it’s one of the best rugby documentary ever made, with greater insight into high-level rugby than we’ve ever seen. To be fair to the Springboks, it’s not all roses and sunshine.
Witness the scene after the Springboks have lost to Ireland in the pool stages. Erasmus rips into his players at their next team meeting. He calls out captain Siya Kolisi, lock Eben Etzebeth, and influential number eight Duane Vermeulen. The players genuinely seem to fear for their status as starters for the quarter-final after Erasmus berates them for “your head getting bigger than your ability.”
The footage around that Ireland game is riveting. It was a surprise to see Erasmus showing his players clips of pundits in Ireland, namely Matt Williams and Andy Dunne on Off the Ball, speaking about them before the teams met in Paris. If we thought this kind of old-school stuff was finished, we were wrong. Bongi Mbonambi says the clips made them “f**king angry” and Pieter-Steph du Toit expresses a similar sentiment.
It’s clear how much the pool-stage defeat to Ireland hurt Erasmus. Watching him fume over it only makes you more excited for his summer’s two-Test series in South Africa.
Much of this series paints the Springboks in their best light but in truth, they are brilliant at rugby so there’s lots of good stuff to focus on. We’re taken into the room for selection meetings and analysis of the opposition, particularly before the Scotland game.
We’re on the training pitch as Erasmus blasts ‘La Marseillaise’ so his players are prepared for what’s to come in their quarter-final against France.
But we’re also back in South Africa, in the villages and on the farms where these Springboks players grew up. We’re in the kitchen with their parents and aunts and uncles, hearing about the genuinely humble circumstances from which many of them rose. At times, the emotion is palpable.
The emotion is visceral within the team environment too. Take the incredible footage of Mbonambi coming back into the largely empty changing room after their semi-final win against England. He breaks down into sobbing tears. Jacques Nienaber comforts him, and then Mbonambi goes to hug Erasmus.
We’re right in the thick of brutal scrummaging sessions and the most frank discussions about the physicality the Springboks want to bring. We’re in the half-time team huddle as du Toit, usually a quiet man, rages at his team-mates to get going against England.
Ireland’s Felix Jones is one of the stars of the series, which gives us great insight into how he became such a key part of the Springboks set-up. His analysis and technical understanding of the game drips off every word, but he clearly gets the confrontational side of the game too.
The Boks don’t give everything away but they have been happy to share plenty of the tactical rugby stuff that we don’t get much of in the public sphere.
The series skillfully weaves the personal stories of players into the absorbing overall story of their collective World Cup journey. It’s not an easy thing to do and sometimes, these kind of documentaries lack rhythm in this regard. Chasing the Sun 2 nails the pacing, taking us from the heart of the World Cup camp back to South Africa at exactly the right moments. The scenes of joy back home on South African soil at the Boks’ exploits are heartwarming.
There are so many other details we could list here that make it a special show but the delight is in discovering them for oneself. There really aren’t that many dull moments in Chasing the Sun 2, which has one more episode to go.
The first series of Chasing the Sun was eventually released internationally and word is that the wheels are in motion for the second season to be released in Ireland and the UK. Even if there is a wait, it will definitely be worth it. This is a masterpiece of the genre.
Excellent article Murray. It’s the passing that’s concerning. A basic skill, you would assume at this level it certainly ought to be dealt with in training as regards timing. It can’t be perfect in training & poor in matches. So where are the standards vs Joe time when was non negotiable. Jamie O is young but a poor passer when moving and evident since his Leinster debut. We rarely pass in front of each other, almost always static in receiving, and when there is a 1st phase move, it gets stuck in midfield on contact. Bar Hugo try v Italy, very little innovation, attempts to do so. Extremely low risk rugby SA aside, since RWC. And while we love Hugo, nothing in attack from returned kicks. Little evidence Andrew Goodman was the right choice. You can swap the above comments for Leinster too.
@Mark Kearney: agree and add the waning of our ‘power game’ – that’s another point of difference for France and England and why they both ‘destroyed’ Wales and we didn’t.
@Mark Kearney: good point. Lancaster was really hot on passing accuracy and that meant the majority of players coming into Ireland camp under him were on top of their skills. Connacht also playing attacking style since Lam. New Munster/Ulster coaches also emphasize ball handling. I think the change in style at Leinster is really having a big impact on IRL attack. Leinster players concentrate on chasing kicks and being aggressive in défense. Leinster’s attack has been really poor these last 2 seasons but their brilliant defense means they still win. Cc LRO game was case in point. Irelands last 2 6n’s were also built on solid defense btw. People like to praise the IRL attack but it’s our defence was the foundation of our attack. We conceded more tries this 6n’s than in the last 2 combined.
The key statistic is professional playing numbers. In Ireland, we have 180, France, and England have very many more. It’s probably 8 to 10 times more, especially in France. Long-term strategy is surely to have a fifth team probably off the island.
@D Farrell: agree, but we have what we have. We have to revert to having a point of difference, back to most of Joe’s time in Lein & Ireland, was passing. That you can do with existing structure, if you first accept there is an issue. I don’t think we do, and poor standards are accepted across the provinces. That’s on the coaches, and players wanting to improve.
@D Farrell: Wishful thinking, I fear. The revenue to support a 5th team does not exist. Frankly I doubt whether we have the revenue to support four. Especially if the growth of Women’s pro rugby is already acting like an additional province in terms of its financial impact
I haven’t gone back to check but I imagine what has been said (by both fans and media) about this Ireland team/players/coaches is nothing compared to what the French will have had to put up with when we did them last season. They didn’t go through a massive clean out, and I don’t think we need to either. The other provinces other than Leinster do need to pull their socks up though.
It’s no coincidence our attack faltered when Andy Farrell was away. I think it’s forgotten that he is heavily involved in Irelands innovative attack plays and his absence definitely affected this. Also it’s worth mentioning Catt started very poorly with Ireland and became instrumental in our brilliant attack over the last few years. Maybe Goodman needs time to bed in also
Being third in what many considered a two horse race can’t be considered a success .
However it reflects the approach of the Irish management based on defence . Both Irish wings selection and reputations based on their performance on a catch and kick game .
But teams have stopped kicking deep as blocking in front of the catcher is penalized and the objective is to ensure the ball is behind the defending pack . Thus the reason to pick paceless wings no longer exists .
As previously noted 9 of the 23 are over 30 whose best games are behind them .
I considered that this was last 6 nations for more than PoM Murray and Healy and the preference for Leinster Blue was undeserved by several players .
@SAMUEL T McGLADERY: Who do you think should have been picked on the wings instead of Hansen and Lowe?