Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber and captain Siya Kolisi. Photo: @Springboks via Twitter.
Springboks on high alert for rival South Africans at RWC
Jacques Nienaber is wary of Scotland’s South African aces, who could potentially provide vital intel on how to breakdown the Springboks’ resistance when they meet in the World Cup next week.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber and captain Siya Kolisi. Photo: @Springboks via Twitter.
Scotland have five South African imports (four players and a coach) in their travelling party to the 2023 Rugby World Cup and Jacques Nienaber says the Springboks cannot afford to underestimate their influence when the sides clash on 10 September.
The Springboks will kick off their World Cup title defence against Scotland in a highly anticipated showdown in Marseille on 10 September and the result could ultimately determine how the final Pool B standings shape up.
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Apart from the quartet of South African players — Duhan van der Merwe, WP Nel, Kyle Steyn and Pierre Schoeman — that have been included in Scotland’s 33-man squad for the World Cup, former Springbok assistant coach Pieter de Villiers is now also serving as Scotland scrum coach.
De Villiers, who hails from Malmesbury in the Western Cape, had been involved in a coaching capacity with the Springboks three times in the past (in 2012, 2015 and 2018).
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And Nienaber has credited him with the evolution of Scotland’s forward-powered game, warning his Springboks that they should be wary of the impact De Villiers and the other South Africans can make.
“If you look at Scotland, they are quite a fit team and that is why they can get stuck in and play their game,” Nienaber told reporters on Friday as the Bok squad prepares to shift their base from Corsica to Toulon.
“They are a fit team and because of that, they can get stuck in and play for over 80 minutes,” said Nienaber. “That’s certainly one of their strengths.
“We know Pieter de Villiers (Scotland’s scrum coach) well, and they also have strong set pieces, which allows them to play with the ball and with a lot of rhythm out wide.”
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