Zeena Isaacs
10 November 2009
Johannesburg — SPRINGBOK coach Peter de Villiers and his team will enter their Test against France in Toulouse on Friday as wiser men following the dirt-trackers' "eye-opener" of a defeat to Leicester last Friday.
Rather than causing a panic in the Springbok camp, De Villiers sees the 22-17 defeat as a lesson to charge up his first-choice team ahead of their opening Test this week. This is particularly the case for the forwards, who face the huge task of taming the powerful French pack.
The fully capped Bok tight five were smashed by Leicester's forwards, which signalled an alarm that the choice pack had to be at their best to match the monster French team on their home turf.
"There were more positives than negatives in the loss," De Villiers said yesterday. "Now we know where we're going. We knew it would be tough with only a week's preparation. It was an eye-opener, but if we didn't have the game we wouldn't have known (what we do now)."
He said one of the biggest problems in last week's game was the lack of leadership in the team after captain and hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle was forced to leave the field with a foot injury in the first quarter.
A repeat of this against France is unlikely, as Springbok captain John Smit (prop) and vice-captain Victor Matfield (lock) are among the best captains in world rugby, while scrumhalf Fourie du Preez also has experience as a captain.
De Villiers said the prospect of ending their 12-year winning drought in France would be a huge motivator for his successful team.
"Beating France is one of our goals," said De Villiers. "Most guys in this team have never won a Test against France, and that is a challenge for them."
Springbok forwards coach Gary Gold was also under no illusions about the challenge that awaited them on Friday and said the French pack posed the greatest threat.
"Everyone knows that France are an emotional team and they play with passion," said Gold. "This game is going to be as tough as taking on New Zealand in their backyard.
"They have a massive pack, off- load well and are good with ball in hand, so it is going to be tough to beat them. They are also aware of their record against us in France."
Gold spoke equally highly of the French back line: "They are the one team in the world, other than New Zealand, that can match us with the size of their backs. Damien Traille (fullback) is one of the guys we have to watch out for."
In an attempt to avoid a similar scrummaging disaster to last week's, the Bok management called on former French prop Pieter de Villiers to assist them in the vital set piece - a move Gold welcomed.
"The good thing about having Pieter around is that he can work with the guys one-on-one," said Gold. "As things stand, John Smit is going from strength to strength at tighthead and he is being picked on merit. So it is good that a guy like Pieter can work with him."
That could be a masterstroke by the national coach, who has also planned for the Irish Test by drafting in prop CJ van der Linde.
Van der Linde, who will replace the injured Jannie du Plessis in the touring squad, is playing club rugby for Irish club Leinster and his knowledge of the team's scrummaging techniques and local conditions will be invaluable in matching their forwards in the set pieces.
The Springbok squad to face France will be announced today. The 15 players and team management members still in SA will depart for France tonight.
n The South African Rugby Union (Saru) yesterday finalised the outstanding issues in the merging of its amateur and commercial units by approving the new constitution at an extraordinary general council meeting in Cape Town yesterday. The new structure will be governed by an executive committee formed from the board of SA Rugby and Saru's management committee.
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