Boks hoping for a 'dry run'
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer hopes to put on display South Africa's newfound running game at a packed Newlands on Saturday.
However, Cape Town's notoriously fickle weather may put a dampener on the Bok plans unleash their potent backline on Australia in a crucial Rugby Championship encounter.
Meyer, addressing a media scrum at the team's hotel in Cape Town, said he was hoping for a "dry" day.
Long-term weather predictions suggest a partly cloudy day, with few showers and a strong north-westerly wind. The temperatures will be somewhere between 16°C and 11°C at game time.
"It is always a consideration," Meyer said, when asked about the expected conditions.
"Believe it or not, for the first time in many years we would prefer a dry field," the Bok mentor said, adding: "We do want to play positive [rugby], attack and score tries."
Meyer expressed his delight with South Africa's attacking play, which has seen them score 32 tries in seven games this year and conceded just 12.
In the Rugby Championship the Boks have scored 16 tries in four games and conceded just seven.
"That is one aspect [of our game] last year that was a problem," Meyer said, adding: "We have worked hard on that and I am proud of our attacking record [this year] and we would love to have a dry field.
"We want to throw the ball around and score tries."
While the Boks' attacking game has been one of the stand-out features, Meyer feels they are still flexible enough should Cape Town weather turn nasty – as was the case in a Currie Cup game between Western Province and Griquas last Friday, when monsoon-like conditions made for a dour encounter.
"The great thing about our team is that we can adapt to a wet game as well," the coach said.
"I have heard it [Newlands] is a sell-out and it is a great compliment to the team.
"We want to make the supporters proud. For their sake I hope it is a dry field.
"However, where we do get it right now is that our set pieces are great and if it is a wet field we can also dominate in the set pieces," he said, adding that that will be vital at the 2015 World Cup, where the conditions will not be conducive to an expansive game.
"The great thing for me is that we can play a wet game or keep the ball [in hand] in a dry game.
"I would prefer a dry field [on Saturday]."
By Jan de Koning, from the Bok camp
