Schalk Burger and Victor Matfield believe that South Africa should have kicked to the corner rather than taking shots at goal against Ireland. South Africa missed three penalties - two by Faf de Klerk and one by Marnie Libbok - and a conversion in Saturday's 13-8 Rugby World Cup loss to Ireland at the Stade de France.
"It's so easy for us to look at the missed kicks," Burger told SuperSport.
"For me, we want to create 22 entries. Our first lineout maul in the 22 happened with 10 minutes to go. We got a penalty off the back of it and then unfortunately we had the not straight lineout from Deon Fourie.
"The fact that we are going [for goal] from 55m with Faf who hit the crossbar, I think we are robbing ourselves from getting enough opportunities to ask Ireland, 'Are you good enough to hold us up for extended periods of time?'
"When we did take the shot, it was like a pressure cooker release for the Irish side. You could feel the tide coming, 'OK, we've got another set piece'. We wanted to take them on a set piece to set piece battle like we've seen Leinster in the past against La Rochelle, getting boxed into their own 22.
"When we did create those opportunities, unfortunately for us, it was [bad] execution. Certain big moments in the game today, Ireland handled better than us. That's ultimately what cost us the game.
"We can talk about the last lineout more, where you think we're walking over, the ball is in Kwagga Smith's hand, and Ben O'Keeffe blows the game up. A different day we get another reset or we get a scrum."
23 September 2023; Faf de Klerk of South Africa kicks a penalty that hit the posts during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Ireland at Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile
Matfield added: "At the end, we had to go for posts, some of them because you are two points behind and it's kickable. It's international rugby, you want a kicker who can kick that. Unfortunately, we missed tonight.
"In the beginning of the game, I think we need to do what we did against the All Blacks. We've got the best driving maul in the world. You kick in the corner like Ireland did against us tonight. You get five to ten minutes in their 22 where they are under pressure. Normally, they make mistakes and they give penalties away. Then all of a sudden, the ref looks differently at the defensive side because they are under pressure and cards come into the game.
"It was interesting against Scotland because first half we went for the posts and missed a few. Second half, we said we're going for the corner and then all of a sudden our game kicked in.
"We're not a team that's going to score from 60 - 70m our all the time but when we get into that 22, we put the pressure [on] and we run straight, we run hard, keep the ball, keep our patience, then we score tries."
Former South African head coach Nick Mallett, who said he was "absolutely livid" with referee Ben O'Keeffe following the match, added, "This is a game that we could and should have won, I believe, given our performance today and given the opportunities we had."
23 September 2023; Former Munster head coach Johann van Graan watches a lineout late in the match during the 2023 Rugby World Cup Pool B match between South Africa and Ireland at Stade de France in Paris, France. Photo by Harry Murphy/Sportsfile
"There are two things that are going to emerge from this game," said Mallett.
"Are we going to carry on with this tactic of playing Manie, who is not kicking well at the moment and saying go for the posts, which puts us under pressure, or are we going to say we're going to keep Manie and kick for the corner? Or we say that we are going to pick [Handre] Pollard. That's the choice now.
"If you are going to play Faf and Marnie, and you are not playing Pollard, your tactic must be kick into the corner and bring our pack into the game as quickly as possible. That will give us more opportunities to score tries."
See Also: Ex-South Africa Head Coach 'Absolutely Livid' With Referee After Ireland Win
