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De Allende relishes new Bok attack mindset: 'We're trying to progress going into the World Cup'

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Bok centre Damian de Allende on the charge. (Photo Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images)
Bok centre Damian de Allende on the charge. (Photo Juan Jose Gasparini/Gallo Images)

Springbok centre Damian de Allende is enjoying being part of a backline making constant inroads into the opposition defence.

In the not-so-recent past, the men in green and gold have been criticised for a forward-dominated game plan and kicking away the ball. However, an evolving backline sparkling with talent has proved recently that they can be just as potent on attack as on defence.

Chasing a bonus point to keep their Rugby Championship hopes alive, the Springboks ran in five tries against Argentina in a hostile Buenos Aires on Saturday. This was off the back of scoring four tries Against Australia in Sydney two weeks ago.

That weekend, De Allende went over the whitewash from close range and later delivered a bullet pass to help set up Makazole Mapimpi in the corner

On Saturday, the No 12 bashed his way through two defenders to score another five-pointer as the Boks won 26-10. But perhaps the cherry on top of South Africa's performance was the slick hands shown by Ox Nche, Malcolm Marx and Deon Fourie to put Mapimpi in space, who off-loaded the ball back to Marx for a great team try to get the all-important bonus point.

"When we played against Wales (in July), we maybe tried to stick to our structures and sometimes when you do that, it's never enough, especially at international level," De Allende told reporters.

"I feel like at the moment, we're playing what's in front of us and that's the most important thing. Just like that last try we scored - it was a 'flippin' great try with some good hands down the touchlines from the forwards.

"It's what we've tried to work on and glad we executed it... we don't always execute to the best of our ability and make a lot of mistakes on the field, but we're also trying to progress going into the World Cup next year and develop our game and improve, as a team and as individuals.

"So we'll keep working at it and if the opportunity is there, hopefully we take it with both hands."


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