Sir Steve Hansen has warned the Springboks that their much-discussed 6-2 bench split can leave them vulnerable if injuries hit key positions during the upcoming series against the All Blacks.
The former New Zealand head coach believes South Africa are effectively taking a calculated gamble whenever they select six forwards and only two backs among their replacements.
His comments come after the Stormers experienced the downside of the tactic during their 38-21 defeat by New Zealand in Cape Town. Both of the Stormers' scrum-halves were injured, leaving them without a specialist half-back option on the bench and contributing to a difficult finish.
Steve Hansen questions the Springboks' 6-2 bench split
The Springboks Bomb Squad has become one of the most recognisable tactical features of modern international rugby.
South Africa popularised the use of a 6-2 bench split, selecting six forwards and two backs, and have occasionally gone even further with a 7-1 split.
The strategy is designed to bring fresh physical power into matches during the second half.
Hansen, however, believes the approach comes with an obvious risk.
If a team loses two players in the same specialist position, the lack of backline cover can suddenly become a major problem.
That is exactly what happened to the Stormers.
The Stormers provided the warning
The All Blacks vs Stormers match offered a practical example of the risk Hansen was highlighting.
The Stormers lost both of their half-backs to injury, leaving them with limited options to maintain their normal attacking structure.
Their outside backs were forced to help at the base of the ruck, while the team struggled to maintain its usual shape.
New Zealand took advantage as the match progressed and eventually pulled away to win 38-21.
For Hansen, the result demonstrated that the 6-2 bench strategy needs to account for every possible scenario.
It is not necessarily the tactic itself that creates the problem.
It is what happens when the unexpected occurs.
Why the Bomb Squad remains so dangerous
Despite Hansen's warning, there is a reason the Springboks Bomb Squad has become so influential.
Fresh forwards can dramatically change the physical intensity of a Test match.
A team that has spent an hour defending against a powerful South African pack can suddenly face a new wave of fresh forwards.
That can affect scrum pressure, collisions, carrying and defensive intensity.
South Africa have used the approach successfully during their recent World Cup campaigns, helping establish the 6-2 split as a tactic other international teams have increasingly considered.
The potential reward is therefore enormous.
But so is the potential cost if the wrong injuries occur.
The Springboks have found a potential solution
South Africa have also experimented with players capable of covering multiple positions.
Andre Esterhuizen is one example.
His versatility can allow South Africa to retain additional forward power on the bench while still having a player capable of providing backline cover.
That flexibility could become particularly valuable during the Springboks vs All Blacks series.
However, Esterhuizen himself suffered a head injury during South Africa's victory over Argentina, creating another selection consideration for head coach Rassie Erasmus.
The availability and role of versatile players could therefore influence how South Africa construct their bench.
Dave Rennie is considering the same tactic
Interestingly, the All Blacks have not completely dismissed the idea.
New Zealand head coach Dave Rennie has previously indicated that his coaching staff have discussed using a 6-2 split during the South Africa tour.
The All Blacks have traditionally preferred a 5-3 bench, but their current squad contains players with enough versatility to make a different approach possible.
That means Hansen's warning could be relevant to New Zealand as well.
If Rennie eventually uses the tactic, the All Blacks will face the same calculation: greater forward power in exchange for reduced specialist backline cover.
Damian McKenzie could offer New Zealand flexibility
One player who could help New Zealand manage that calculation is Damian McKenzie.
Hansen highlighted McKenzie's ability to potentially cover half-back as an example of the kind of versatility that can make a 6-2 bench more practical.
A player capable of covering multiple roles gives a coaching staff greater freedom when selecting replacements.
That could become an important consideration as New Zealand prepares for the biggest matches of its South Africa rugby tour.
The bigger picture for the All Blacks
The warning comes at an important stage of the tour.
New Zealand defeated the Stormers 38-21 and now face the Sharks in Durban before playing the Bulls in Pretoria.
The All Blacks then move towards their four-Test series against the Springboks, beginning later this month.
The franchise matches provide valuable preparation because New Zealand are getting a direct look at the conditions and style of rugby they will face against South Africa.
Every tactical lesson matters.
The Stormers match has already provided one.
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Hansen's criticism does not mean the Springboks 6-2 bench split is a bad tactic.
Quite the opposite.
Its success explains why so many teams have adopted or considered it.
The real question is whether a coaching staff can build enough insurance into the selection to prevent one unusual injury sequence from destroying the structure of the team.
That is where South Africa's use of versatile players becomes so important.
The best version of the Bomb Squad is not simply six powerful forwards.
It is six forwards supported by enough positional flexibility to handle problems when the match refuses to follow the plan.
The Stormers discovered the danger the hard way.
South Africa will now have to decide whether the potential reward remains worth the risk when the Springboks face the All Blacks.
And with Hansen watching from the outside, one of rugby's most famous tactical weapons has received another reminder of its biggest weakness.
What happens next?
The All Blacks' South Africa tour continues against the Sharks in Durban before New Zealand face the Bulls.
The main event follows when the All Blacks meet the Springboks in a four-Test series.
The way both teams construct their benches could become one of the tactical storylines to watch.
If the Springboks continue with their traditional Bomb Squad, New Zealand will know exactly what challenge is coming.
But they will also know that, as Hansen argues, the tactic carries a risk.
And in a Test match between two of rugby's strongest sides, one injury or selection decision could change everything.
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