Springbok captain Eben Etzebeth and assistant coach Mzwandile Stick said they are preparing for a bruising 80-minute battle against Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday in the opening Test of the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour, and agreed that it could be a proper grind.
Scotland are ranked seventh in the world and the Springboks second, but this – and South Africa’s encouraging track record against the Scottish – did not give the Boks a false sense of security going into the game.
“They are a good team,” said Etzebeth, who will lead the Boks for the 14th time on Sunday.
“They had a few impressive results in the Six Nations and so have their teams in the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, so they are improving every year. This match is going to be a big challenge for us in all areas of the game.
“With their kicking game and pack, they’ll be up to face us. They also have a few South Africans in their ranks who will give them an idea of what to expect from us.”
Etzebeth added: “We consider them as one of the top nations in world rugby, just as we see the likes of Ireland and New Zealand, so we know it will be a physical encounter, and over and above that, it’s always tough playing at Murrayfield.
“Personally, it is one of my favourite grounds, but it’s going to be an epic encounter, and we’re looking forward to it.”
Stick expected an 80-minute grind on Sunday, and said a strong start will be beneficial as the Boks aim to make a notable impact from the outset.
“We want to start well and implement our game plan as well as possible from early on,” said Stick, “and we know Scotland will want to retain possession, so my view is that the team that starts well will have the best chance to maintain that momentum throughout the match.
“We cannot arrive at Murrayfield with the mindset that we will win because they have the players who can turn things on at any time and can punish you. They also have creative coaching staff.”
With Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus opting for seven forwards on the replacements bench, there was a fair bit of talk at the captain’s media conference about the forward battle, and Etzebeth agreed that it would be decisive in the outcome of the match.
“On paper we have a good bench, but games are not won on paper,” said Etzebeth. “Scotland also have a quality bench who’ll also want to make a big impact, so we don’t read too much into that sentiment (that this is one of the best benches named yet in rugby).”
South Africa’s most capped player, who will extend his record to 129 Test caps on Sunday, added: “Everything starts with the forwards except for the restarts, and most matches these days are won and lost up front. We have great respect for Scotland as a team and their forward pack, so we have to be at our best to beat them.”
Dry conditions have been forecast for the match, but Stick said they are ready for any scenario that plays out on the day.
“From the information we’ve received it’s going to be a dry day, but we experienced some wet conditions in Jersey, so the weather won’t change how we want to play.” said Stick.
“We know Scotland will do everything they can to stop us from implementing our plan, but we’ve prepared well and hopefully we can stick to our plans on the day.”
The match kicks off at 16h10 (18h10 SA time) and will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
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