Aussies beware: Bok star is 'one of a kind'
SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks can add an extra edge to their attack if one of their players can unleash his offloading game in open play.
Lock RG Snyman has become one of the best in the business in that department, and it was also used to good effect in Leinster’s United Rugby Championship campaign last season.
The 30-year-old will form a second-row partnership with Ruan Nortje in Saturday’s match against the Wallabies in Cape Town.
They weren’t involved in last weekend’s defeat to the same opponents at Ellis Park.
Ahead of the Rugby Championship Round Two showdown, the media wanted to know if the other Bok locks are following in Snyman’s footsteps when it comes to offloading into contact.
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“I wish I could, but somebody like RG is one of a kind,” said Nortje, who will be starting alongside Snyman for the first time.
“If the opportunity is there for a clear offload, then we will take it, but RG is just on another level.
“He finds ways to get the ball through when you think there is no chance.
“I am just excited to play alongside him and see how we can work together.”
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On the upcoming partnership with Snyman, Nortje added: “He was also at the Bulls a few years ago, and I always wanted to play with him.
“We can feed off each other a lot, and I am personally very excited for that.”
The line-outs were a big problem area for the Boks in the 22-38 defeat last weekend, and Nortje revealed that the locks have taken matters into their own hands to rectify things.
“All credit to Australia for how they handled the line-outs last week,” said Nortje.
“It’s not just the players who were on the field.
“All the locks sat together and made plans from the Sunday before the match, so we need to ensure that we are more effective in that department this weekend.
“We know we are much better than what we showed in Johannesburg, so it will be vital for us to stick to our plans this week and to go out there and be as physical as possible.”
@rugby365com
