Bok prop has inside info
KOCH: SPRINGBOK PROP FAMILIAR WITH SARACENS STARS
Coach Erasmus is bound to be a willing listener.
His familiarity with Saracens team-mate and England prop Mako Vunipola can only benefit the Springboks in this weekend’s World Cup final in Yokohama, Springbok prop Vincent Koch believes.
Koch had become part of a second-choice front-row which coach Rassie Erasmus had utilised in the second half of their World Cup play-off matches, along with loosehead prop Steven Kitshoff and Malcolm Marx.
Though Erasmus has not yet displayed his cards, with the Bok team set to be announced today, he is expected to stick to the status quo, with the exception of wing Cheslin Kolbe who has recovered from injury.
Aside from Vunipola, other
England players in the Saracens squad include No 8 Billy Vunipola, hookers Jamie George and Jack Singleton, locks Maro Itoje and George Kruis, fullback Elliot Daly, scrumhalf Ben Spencer and captain Owen Farrell, and it was believed England have based their game plan on the approach taken by the English Premiership club.
“There are quite a lot of Saracens in their team, and as we look at them we can see a lot of similarities,” Koch said.
“There are a few things I saw that Saracens do, and that we can manage, so I think we are ready for that.
“They are in different jerseys but they have similar game plans.”
The Boks will have to be prepared for anything, he feels, and it would be crucial not to allow England to push them away from their own game plan.
“We know what they are going to bring, and if it’s the Sarries way or England way, we need to match that,” said Koch, who previously turned out for the Pumas and the Stormers.
Erasmus can also rely on the insights of lock Franco Mostert (Gloucester), loose forward Francois Louw (Bath) and scrumhalves Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks) and Cobus Reinach (Northampton Saints), who all plied their trades on English soil.
Fullback Willie le Roux had also just completed a three-season stint at Wasps, where he played with new Saracens signing Daly, while back-up hooker Schalk Brits was at Saracens for nine years before joining the Bulls in Pretoria this season.
Even utility back Damian Willemse had spent a few weeks on loan at Saracens recently and was at training with the club when he was called up to the Bok squad for the World Cup as a replacement for injured centre Jesse Kriel.
“I’ve scrummed quite a lot against Mako in training, though this is a bit different as it’s not on a training field but in a big Test,” Koch said.
“The same with Joe Marler. I’ve scrummed against him in the Premiership.
“I know exactly what they do or I’ve felt what they have done in the past.”