The invaluable game time clocked by the Springboks when they played the Barbarians and Zimbabwe in Gqeberha has been a crucial element in the team’s preparations before a showdown against old enemies England in Johannesburg on Saturday, coach Rassie Erasmus said.
SA concluded their Nations Championship training camp in Johannesburg on Thursday, and Erasmus said he was satisfied that the necessary building blocks had been put in place as the squad prepares to switch into full Test mode.
After spending the weekend with their families, the Bok squad reassembled at their training base in Johannesburg on Sunday to begin their official Test-week preparations for the clash at Ellis Park (kickoff 5.40pm).
“We had a productive training week, which afforded us the opportunity to work on the learnings we took from our matches against the Barbarians and Zimbabwe in Gqeberha, so it was certainly a valuable week for the team,” Erasmus said.
“England are a quality outfit, and they will present a completely different challenge to that which we faced against the Barbarians.
“They are a settled squad and come off a Six Nations campaign, but we are pleased that we had the opportunity to give our players invaluable game time in Gqeberha before the Nations Championship begins.
“The team is aligned on the expectations and standards going into the competition, and we are pleased with the hard work they put in this week.
“We are ready to get the international season into full swing this week.”
Erasmus said Ulster’s impressive SA-born No 8 Juarno Augustus had not been considered for the current Bok squad because of an injury.
“We track all players, in all competitions,” he said.
“When we do our depth chart, and we try to get five or six positions, five or six deep in a position, Juarno Augustus is definitely in that scope.
“But he’s still injured and unfortunately not available.
“So yes, hopefully we can give him a chance somewhere.
“But at this stage, he’s unfortunately injured.”
Erasmus said the Boks would be facing a young and fearless England side.
“The England squad is good,” he said.
“If you look at the average age of that squad, I think it’s 27. The average Test caps is about 32.
“It’s a young but experienced squad. You will get youth and a fearless team.
“It’s a very competitive squad, a squad we know we will have to work really hard at Ellis Park to get the win.
“They always change their structures to evolve, like all of us.
“We more or less think we know what they are going to do, but then you get to the day and they do something totally different.
“There are a few guys coming through the Premiership who are very good in the air, which is something we were very good at last year.
“That is going to be a massive battle.
“Tactically, England coach Steve Borthwick is a guy who works with numbers and likes to chase strengths.
“It’s difficult to coach against a coach like that. We don’t know what they will do on Saturday.”
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