more than just 80 minutes
Springboks
South Africa
Boks hungry for final hurdle
Tuesday, November 03
Submit
The Springbok team have come through a big year. A Super 14, British & Irish Lions tour, Tri-Nations and the final stretch of the Currie Cup have taken something out of the hardened warriors.
For John Smit and his men, however, the job isn't quite done as they prepare to head north for a five match (three Test) tour of Europe. It's one final hurdle for the Boks to conquer before they can put their feet up for their short Christmas break.
“Yes, we’ve had a good season, but three Tests remain. It’s a big challenge that lies ahead and we start against a tough French team," Smit told the media in Johannesburg on Monday.
"There are also games against club sides (Leicester and Saracens) that have players from all over the world. That amounts to five big challenges,” he said.
Bok coach Peter de Villiers was also mindful of the challenges posed on the upcoming tour - particularly from France and Ireland.
“We allowed the players to play in the Currie Cup and we could see how it contributed to the quality of the play. But we now play against France and Ireland, and they are going to take the game to us,” De Villiers said.
“It’s not difficult to maintain the standards that we set, but the players are psychologically tired. We’ll have to think about how to overcome that.”
The Springbok coach has had to contend with an injury to number eight Pierre Spies that will keep him out of the tour and may make him rethink the make-up of the team to tackle Leicester on Friday night. Jean Deysel has been called up to replace Spies and the team management are still mulling over a decision of whether to change the side announced yesterday.
Login / Register
related links
 |
 |
South Africa | More by Pieter Bester
- > Stick blow for Blitzbokke
- > Two changes for Blitzbokke
- > Overseas Boks to feature in Welsh Test
- > Rugby backs Soccer
- > Brache called up to BlitzBokke
Next 5 Fixtures
| 5 Jun 10 | Wales |
| 12 Jun 10 | France |
| 19 Jun 10 | Italy |
| 26 Jun 10 | Italy |
| 10 Jul 10 | New Zealand |
user poll
Who will be SA's top side in the 2010 S14?
Results Votes: 22494 Store
Springbok Teddy
 |
Designed and Implemented by DigIT Solutions
All content supplied by SARugby.com
Photographs supplied by Gallo Images/Getty Images.
All logos and trademarks are the property of their respective owner.
The comments are property of their posters, all the rest © 2005 Fat Pig Productions CC The logos and trademarks used on this site are the property of their respective owners We are not responsible for comments posted by our users, as they are the property of the poster Advertise with SARugby.com | Legal Notices |
 |
This hurdle can't taste any better than those before it...
Burger and Kanko will also add a helluvalot of intensity and class to the side.
this is not good for the Boks as this man was playing amazingly but now Kanko it is your time to shine!
2)Bismark
3)Smit
4)Bakkies
5)Matfield
6)Brussouw
7)Schalk
8)Deysel
9)Du Preez
10)Steyn
11)Habana
12)Olivier
13)Fourie
14)Pietersen
15)Riaan Viljoen
16)Johnson as hooker
17)Steenkamp
18)Jannie
19)Russouw as lock
20)Spies
21)Pienaar
22)Jacobs
I was just thinking our bench doesnt have a player that can come on and give us something new on attack interms of the backline.
Whats your thoughts?
although adi jacobs has had a pretty forgettable season he does offer a different dimension in terms of attck becuase he's fast and steps pretty well,the same can be said of ruan pienaar who like frans steyn has moments of brilliance just not consisently