Springboks' Felix Jones dismisses narrative that contestable kicking is leading to more scrums

As the Springboks prepare for their upcoming clash with England, assistant coach Felix Jones has dismissed the notion that the recent surge in contestable kicking has resulted in more set-piece restarts and bogging the game down.

Addressing a recent media briefing in Cape Town, Jones provided a data-driven defence of the aerial battle, arguing that instead of producing more scrums, the high ball is actually creating more attacking sequences which are leading to try-scoring opportunities.

A narrative has recently circulated suggesting that an increase in contestable kicks — and the fumbles that often follow — has led to a spike in scrums, slowing the tempo of of the game. Jones, however, was quick to set the record straight.

“That was a bit of a narrative put out there with not a lot of facts behind it,” Jones remarked. “The numbers are pretty conclusive from what we have seen, particularly at Test level. Scrums aren’t actually increasing.

"It came up once or twice in discussions [during a recent World Rugby conference] around how the aerial contest is shaping the game, but the overwhelming sense is that it’s been great and it’s actually opened up the game.”

The tactical landscape has shifted significantly following the law change that prevents players from "escorting" or running back to block the opposition chasers. According to figures recently cited by Eddie Jones on a podcast, the team chasing the kick is now winning approximately 70% of those aerial duels. This shift has turned the kick from a territorial exit into a genuine offensive weapon.

For Felix Jones, the spectacle of the aerial contest is also vital to the identity of the sport. He also noted that fans no longer groan when the ball goes skyward. Instead, there is a sense of anticipation for an "athletic contest", and the "broken play" chaos that follows.

“One of the great things about rugby union is that everything is contested, whether it’s a breakdown, scrum, a maul, or an aerial contest. Those are things unique to rugby union that we have to keep driving,” he said.

“The aerial contest is being correlated with more line-breaks and tries, which obviously everyone loves to see. When you see a contestable kick, nobody goes ‘this is going to be boring over the next two minutes'. People get a sense that there is going to be an athletic contest to win the ball back and then usually a dynamic piece of play thereafter.”

This shift has placed a premium on transitional play. Jones highlighted that the ability to adapt defensively or offensively to these "unstructured" moments is now a non-negotiable for any team.

While it presents a nightmare for defensive coordinators — as there is no set reference point in broken play — it offers a massive opportunity for players with the individual skill set to "play what is in front of them".

Turning his attention to England, who the Boks face in their first international assignment of the year, Jones was complimentary of their development over the last two seasons despite recent stumbles in the Six Nations.

The Irishman says their losses to Ireland and Scotland were more a testament to the quality of the opposition than a decline in English standards.

“Their trajectory over the last two seasons is going in one direction. I’m not surprised by it,” Jones said. “They won 12 in a row before losing two games against really determined teams. I think their trajectory will keep going up, and our clash will be really tasty.”