FRENCH WILL STEP UP SAYS FRANCO

THE SPRINGBOKS will not only have to be more physical in the second Test against France on Saturday but more inventive on attack, not to mention less charitable in leaving try-scoring opportunities on the table.

That was the view yesterday of attack coach Franco Smith, who says the Boks no longer have surprise on their side after going into the first Test last week as “something of a dark horse”.

Smith added that first-choice Les Bleus players that will augment the side after having not been considered last week because of the French Top 14 final, would add physicality to the French approach that in any case will step up a notch after the disappointment of losing at Loftus Versfeld.

“They will be a different animal,” said Smith. “I know their mentality well. The French players respond positively to defeat. They do not like losing two matches in a row, and they will come at us at Kings Park.

“They will have done their homework on us and will look to close us down out wide. They know that we are wanting to play with width and we need to look at ways of countering how they plan to shut us down out wide.”

Foundation

But Smith said that by the same token, the Boks had learned a great deal about themselves during the first Test. He said that meant the Boks had a foundation to work on in the face of a French backlash, and would prepare accordingly.

Backline coach Smith has lost outside centre Jesse Kriel to injury but said he agreed with coach Allister Coetzee that the best thing for the backline would be to simply bring in a replacement at 13 rather than reshuffle the midfield.

Lions centre Lionel Mapoe is expected to slot in alongside Jan Serfontein and there will be no temptation to bring in the experienced Frans Steyn, who can play either

12 or 13.

“It is a pity for Jesse,” Smith said. “We would all have liked to see him build on his good performance and settle down at 13 after having been played around the backline. So it is bad luck for him but at the same time we know that we have to grow our depth, and Jesse will be back.”

Smith also said that his backline had left four clear try-scoring chances on the Loftus turf and that his charges had to be more clinical this week.