Springboks on a high ahead of Cardiff trip
KOLISI: SKIPPER CLEARED TO FACE WALES IN CARDIFF
Etzebeth fit again and is likely to start for Rassie’s men.
Following World Rugby’s decision yesterday to issue only a warning to Springbok captain Siya Kolisi, who was involved in a head-butt incident at the weekend, the flanker was set to lead the national team for the 13th Test in succession this weekend.
Though Kolisi was found guilty, the global body did not feel a red card was warranted after he was shown on camera to have allegedly struck Scotland centre Peter Horne in the face with the back of his head in the 30th minute of the Boks’ hard-fought 26-20 win at Murrayfield.
The Boks, meanwhile, were expected to be boosted by the likely return of giant lock Eben Etzebeth, who had recovered from an ankle injury, in their final Test of the year against Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
And with scrumhalf Faf de Klerk probably still unavailable, his absence could present another opportunity for 21-year-old scrumhalf Embrose Papier.
“I really think that in the case of Embrose, we got it right,” said Bok coach Rassie Erasmus.
Erasmus felt their last game against the Scots had been the right match for Papier to make his first start.
“That pitch and the way Scotland play suited him well, and he also handled it very well,” Erasmus said.
“Credit must also go to (Bok assistant coaches) Mzwandile Stick and Swys de Bruin for the way they’ve blooded him into Testmatch rugby.”
The Boks, who had won two of their three Tests thus far on their European tour, had a poor record the last few years against the Welsh, despite winning 28 of their 33 Tests overall between the two sides.
Wales, who beat Australia 9-6 two weeks back, had won their last three games on the trot against the Boks, and they had won four of their last five encounters.
In 2014 Wales won 12-6 in Cardiff, while the Boks won the 2015 World Cup quarter-final 23-19 at Twickenham.
In 2016 and 2017 Wales won 27-13 and 24-22 respectively, with both games being played in Cardiff, while earlier this year Wales secured a 22-20 victory in Chicago.