Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber has defended his side's style of play, after their 19-17 defeat to the All Blacks in Townsville.
In the 100th test match between the two sides, Nienaber's Springboks appeared to have their gameplan worked to perfection, as they closed in on a famous victory over the All Blacks.
Employing a high-pressure kicking game, combined with rush defence that stopped any momentum the All Blacks could build, South Africa were moments away from triumph, until Quinn Tupaea won a turnover penalty that allowed Jordie Barrett a shot at goal for victory.
Barrett needed no second invitation, landing a penalty from the 10m line to see the All Blacks scrape to victory.
But South Africa can only blame themselves for Saturday's loss, failing to make the most of an uncharacteristically error-prone All Blacks side.
Instead of switching their strategy once they were ahead, Nienaber's side stuck to their guns, prioritising their hard defence over any semblance of attacking play.
South Africa look a shadow of the side that won the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan, after suffering three consecutive defeats.
Nienaber insists his side will continue to play their own style, but those same tactics could be put away for next week's encounter on the Gold Coast, the Springboks coach hints.
"I thought it was a proper test match, in terms of when No.1 and No.2 in the world play against each other.
"There's small margins. Obviously, we have our DNA, they have their DNA.
"That's the thing, rugby will be unbelievably boring if everyone plays [with] the same tactics.
"We might not do the same tactics next week, like they might not do the same tactics.
"It was a proper test match."
After coming within touching distance of victory, Nienaber is sure his gameplan has its place, but ended up on the wrong side of what could have been a different test result.
"I thought the gameplan worked. I thought we had opportunities, I thought they had opportunities.
"It probably came down to the wire - a call here, a bounce of the ball there. Sometimes it goes for you, sometimes it goes against you.
"[Against] the British & Irish Lions, we won with a kick like this, [against] Australia we lost, New Zealand we lost with a kick like this.
"It's swings and roundabouts."
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