Bok tour will be tough, warns Schalk

The Springboks can expect to find the going tough on their tour to the United Kingdom and France next month, former Bok flanker Schalk Burger (right) predicts.

Burger, now 35, played 86 Tests for the Boks between 2003 and 2015, before making a move to the UK in 2016 where he signed a deal with Saracens.

“What the teams over here are very good at is creating pressure through kicking, excellent exit play and just structuring things a bit differently,” Burger told stuff. co.nz.

The Boks were set to start their tour on November 3 against England, followed by Tests against France, Scotland and Wales.

“South Africa is better at playing heads-up rugby, using the forwards around the corner, so it’s going to be a tough tour for them in November,” he said.

Burger, however, added that he enjoyed watching the Boks this season and he felt there was an upward curve in their performances.

“I’ve really enjoyed this massive energy around the Bok setup,” he said. “The team is playing with a lot of guts and with an identity that in the previous years they were lacking a little bit.

“As always, I think the challenge comes when conditions don’t quite suit us.”

Having known Bok coach Rassie Erasmus from his Stormers days, after turning out 123 times for the Western Cape side, Burger would never say no to a return to the national side.

“I know Rassie very well and worked with him for a long time,” he said. “I’m not too sure about Test rugby, but first and foremost I’m trying to play as well as I can for Saracens.

“At this moment it looks like I might move on, but I don’t think I’ll ever say no.”

The SA team found it quite difficult to find territory and create pressure in challenging, wet conditions, as was the case in the third Test in Cape Town against England in June, which they lost 25-10.