Battered Springboks regrouping
Three new faces added to Coetzee’s squad for Aussie Test.
Operation recovery starts in all earnest for the Springboks from tomorrow ahead of the Rugby Championship clash against Australia in Bloemfontein next weekend.
Having had a week to lick their wounds after the drubbing they received from the All Blacks last weekend, they would want to put that day as far back in the memory banks as possible.
Bok coach Allister Coetzee and his team reconvene in the City of Roses tomorrow and will start their preparations on Monday and the national coach believes they haven’t become a poor team overnight after one performance.
“Apart from the New Zealand match, this squad has shown progress this season,” said Coetzee.
“The next two home matches give us more opportunities to evolve as a team, and in particular to stay composed under pressure.”
It will be interesting to see how he will introduce the three newcomers to the side, flank Francois Louw, wing S’bu Nkosi and scrumhalf Louis Schreuder.
Schreuder was a Bok tourist back in 2013, while it’s believed Nkosi will have to soak up the team’s structures and cultures before winning his first cap.
“Louis has been there before, but we’re excited to expose S’bu to the Springbok environment – he is in excellent form and we are excited to work with him,” said Coetzee.
At least one change is on the cards with scrumhalf Ross Cronje back after missing the All Black game due to a stomach virus, while Schreuder will compete with Rudy Paige for a place on the bench.
But with Louw back on the scene for the first time this year, it could be a sign that the backrow didn’t perform according to standards last weekend, with the balance in the make-up of the loose trio the biggest teaser.
“Francois had a proper off-season for the first time in a long while, and will be a good addition to our loose forward combinations in the absence of several players,” the Bok coach said.
“Francois will also add to our leadership group and importantly for us, he still has a burning desire to play for the Springboks.”
This will be the first Bok Test in Bloemfontein since 2010 when the Wallabies won a close game 41-39.