Strauss seals captain deal

AFTER leading his team to a 2-1 series win over Ireland, feisty Springbok skipper Adriaan Strauss was rewarded by being named as captain for the rest of the year.

Bok coach Allister Coetzee confirmed that Strauss would lead the new-look side for the upcoming Rugby Championship and also the end-of-season European tour.

“I am unbelievably proud of Adriaan and his leadership and the senior group around him,” Coetzee said.

Strauss lauded his team after their nail-biting 19-13 win over Ireland in the series decider but said there was still hard work ahead.

“We knew that the Irish first phases are very good and we had to make a step up there.

“That was not only because they are a northern hemisphere team, but because they pride themselves on it,” Strauss said.

“We had to do that not only to give ourselves good quality ball, but to put them under pressure there as well. We managed to do that and the forwards really worked hard in that sense.

“So the guys worked hard on first phase and on defence. We could see . . . the guys working together.

“I am very proud of the effort at scrum time and you need to give the props credit as well.

“They worked hard with coach Matt Proudfoot in the week and it paid off on the night.”

Strauss stressed the team would not be resting on their laurels after the Irish win.

“We have progressed, but there is still a lot to work on,” the Bok skipper said.

“Technically and tactically we can still get better, but it is good to come out of this test series with the 2-1 win.

“There were stages in the series where we would have wanted to do it differently and win the first test at Newlands.

“But it was a tough series against the Irish and we should not underestimate them.

“I am happy with the progress we made and each week we got better.

“The Irish were very tough opponents and really tested us. They forced us to improve from where we started and I am happy that we could respond accordingly.”

Strauss will now be keen to build on the Irish victory with a strong showing in the Rugby Championship, where his men will square off against New Zealand, Australia and Argentina.

The Boks then travel to Europe in November for matches against the Barbarians, England, Italy and Wales.