VIDEO: Boks hoping for 'dry run' at Newlands
WATCH as Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus discusses possible tactics against England at a wet Newlands on Saturday.
Most Capetonians are grateful for the recent rains, as they slowly creep out of the grips of a three-year-long drought that had the risk of their water supply running out.
However, Springbok supporters will be hoping for 80 dry minutes on Saturday – as South Africa look to wrap up a three-nil whitewash in the Test series against England.
Bok coach Rassie Erasmus readily admits his team may become more ‘conservative’ if it rains during the game.
The prediction is for ‘mostly cloudy, with spotty showers’ on Saturday.
“You know Cape Town,” Erasmus told a media briefing, adding: “Sometimes you pitch up and it has 80 minutes of dry weather.
“From what I remember, the [Newlands] pitch drains pretty quickly.”
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He felt there is a danger of preparing for a ‘wet game’ and then have 80 minutes that is pretty dry.
“It is difficult to predict,” The Bok coach said.
“If it is wet and rainy, it will be typical Test-match rugby.
“We would be stupid to try and play a beautiful running game in weather like that.
“The game in Washington [on June 2] – even though you couldn’t see it on television – was really tough conditions.
“I know that was a boring game to watch.
“Hopefully it is not like that, because we made a lot of fundamental errors in that game.
“The conditions will determine the way we play on Saturday.”
By Warren Fortune
@FortuneWarren
@rugby365com
