Bok berths up for grabs for Italy Tests

The Herald

4 hours ago

'It's definitely a different challenge to what we normally would have.
'The Barbarians have always knocked over a lot of great sides over the years, so for us around that challenge it's massive, so exactly what we want for our first game for the year.
'We're preparing our players like it is a Test match, and it won't be Barbarians versus Barbarians.
'It will be Springboks versus Barbarians, so everything we do will be around how we play the game, how we play Test match rugby, and how we're going to win the game.
'The first thing is we see it as a Test match, and we're going to play the game that way.'
Brown said the Boks would ensure their planning was in place to ensure a winning start to the season.
'We need to get our coaching right, we need to get our plans right, and we always win Test matches through putting the opposition under pressure, whether it's attack and defence,' he said.
'So that'll be our plan against the BaaBaas.
'Last year was a great experience for me with the Boks side.
'After two weeks of training in Johannesburg, I feel we are ahead of where we were last year, around how we want to play the game on defence and attack.
'The players understand what we expect of them, and I am excited to get it started.
'The upcoming games and results will show us where we are as a team.
'We track every player around their work rate and skill set and everything else around their performance.
'We know what every franchise player is doing, we even track Cheslin Kolbe in Japan and guys who play overseas.
'Every player is being tracked, and we are really aware of who is playing well and who is a little off the pace.
'We know who the young guys coming through are who can play Test match rugby. We are well aware of that. There are not many players we miss around the world.'
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus has named four uncapped players in his team for SA's opening match of the international season.
Asenathi Ntlabakanye (prop) and Vincent Tshituka (flanker) have both been selected in a relatively experienced starting line-up.
Marnus van der Merwe (hooker) and Neethling Fouche (prop) will also feature alongside a few Rugby World Cup-winners and seasoned campaigners on the replacements bench.
Another notable inclusion is Lood de Jager, who will partner with Jean Kleyn in the Bok scrum.
The experienced lock is back for his first Test since the Springboks' 2023 Rugby Championship clash against the All Blacks in New Zealand, his only Test in the past two seasons after suffering a string of injuries.
The Herald