Springbok forwards coach Deon Davids says it is vital that the his team think on their feet and adapt quickly in Saturday’s Rugby Championship opener against Australia in Pretoria.
The Boks have not played since November last year and with resources being shared across two teams — a second Bok squad is on its way to New Zealand — there will be a host of new combinations starting against the Wallabies.
And then there is the Eddie Jones factor.
The wily Jones has returned to the helm of the Wallabies after a 17-year absence and there will be curve balls coming the way of the South Africans
“We have not seen Australia play so we don’t know what they are about,” Davids said yesterday.
“We do know that Eddie likes to spice things up a bit so we have to have our eyes wide open. Finding solutions on the run is very important.
“It is vital that we adapt quickly to what they throw at us.”
Davids says the Boks are also expecting a war upfront because of the size of the forwards Jones is bringing to Loftus Versfeld.
“You can see by the pack that Eddie is bringing over that he understands the importance of set piece dominance in Test rugby,” Davids said, with reference to giants that Jones has picked in Will Skelton and Richie Arnold. Both locks are well over 2m and above 130kgs.
“You can see by Eddie’s recruitment that he wants to add a physical edge to the Wallabies,” Davids added.
“Historically, we know how good Eddie is at coaching attacking rugby (from his time with the Brumbies and in his first stint as coach of the Wallabies).
“He has a balanced approach and we expect nothing less than a highly physical battle in the lineouts, scrums and mauls; and in the defence of the mauls.”
Last year, the Boks had a sluggish start to the year when they battled in their first two Tests against Wales before improving in the third Test.
Davids says this cannot happen in a World Cup year.
“We want to have a good start because that goes a long way to determining the outcome of the Rugby Championship,” Davids said.
“The players are focused on that, they know that it has to be all guns blazing.
“Every game counts. This year is about building momentum towards the end goal (the World Cup).”
The Boks’ start to the Rugby Championship is complex because they are splitting their player depth between the Wallabies this week and the All Blacks next week. The team for Australia will be announced today and at the same time another team will leave for Auckland.
“It is a different preparation but at this point, our focus is very much on Australia,” Davids said.
“While we have been training in the two groups, each group knows that this week is about getting the team to play Australia as ready as possible. Next week the focus shifts to New Zealand.
“You can never just expect a good start to a season good but what you can control is pitching up with the right mindset and intensity,” Davids continued.
“It is difficult to be 100% at the start of a season but you have to make sure you learn on the run and that your innings builds nicely over the season.”
@MikeGreenaway67