Springboks scrum coach Human denies walking accusations after All Blacks series leveller

South Africa scrum coach Daan Human has categorically denied accusations that the Springboks use illegal walking tactics in the scrum, hitting back at New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie following the second Test of Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series in Cape Town.

Rennie had raised the issue after his side fell 33-26 to leave the four-match series level at one apiece, suggesting the Springboks were able to “walk around and go straight through our tighthead.” He acknowledged referee Angus Gardner had worked to address the spacing between hookers, but flagged it as an ongoing concern.

Human was unequivocal in his response. “I can assure you, I have never coached that,” he said. “We want to go forward, not walk around. Walking around is not ideal for us because it doesn’t give us forward momentum, which is what we want.”

The Springboks scrum coach acknowledged that imperfections can creep in during a match, but insisted his side addresses them immediately. “We’re not perfect and things can happen, but if we see something that can be done better, we try to fix it at the very next scrum.”

Human also pushed back on the broader narrative around South Africa’s set-piece, arguing that the scrum is inherently difficult to read from the outside. “The scrum is a very important part of our team. It’s part of our culture and this country. There may be different opinions, but it’s not always easy to understand what’s really happening inside a scrum.”

Springboks head coach Rassie Erasmus had already dismissed the accusations in the immediate aftermath of the Cape Town Test, calling it “the first time ever in history that people are talking about us walking around.” Human’s comments this week represent a deliberate doubling down on that position.

Despite the South Africa scrum failing to dominate as comprehensively as it had in the first Test — with several decisions going New Zealand’s way — Human praised Gardner’s consistency as referee. “I actually thought Angus Gardner was very consistent in his decisions last Saturday. What he called for us, he called for them. It was the same story.”

Human indicated the Springboks will look to adapt to the officiating approach of the new referee assigned to the third Test, adding: “If he tells us to fix something we’ll fix it. But I genuinely don’t think Angus refereed differently to how he normally does.”