Boks stand by kicking decisions despite Ireland loss as key Tonga clash looms

In Toulon

Springboks scrum coach Daan Human said they were happy with the kicking decisions taken in Saturday's 13-8 Rugby World Cup loss to Ireland in Paris on Saturday.

The Springboks, through Faf de Klerk, took long-range shots at goal which were missed when the option of taking the lineout was on.

De Klerk missed both attempts, with one cannoning off the crossbar, from where the Boks nearly scored a try.

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Those six points, along with the five that Manie Libbok missed through a penalty and a conversion, proved to be crucial to the final outcome of the game.

Had those kicks gone over, the Springboks would've had less to sweat over regarding Sunday's final Pool B game against Tonga in Marseille, a game they need to win with a bonus point, from where they let other fates take care of the rest of the pool.

The Boks are back in Toulon where on Tuesday, they started preparing for Sunday's game in far more pleasant conditions as compared to the stifling heat of the first two weeks of September.

The session saw all players take part, even though scrumhalf De Klerk had his left-knee strapped up.

"We were very comfortable with Faf taking the long kicks and one of them nearly got to the poles," Human said.

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"We were very confident with that, and I liked the fact Faf had a lot of confidence in his kicking and I don’t think we should go away from that.

"Sometimes it'll go over and sometimes it won't, in the same way that you might or might not score from a lineout."

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The Springboks only had two mauls that came in the second half