France an enigma for Boks
NOVEMBER SPOTLIGHT: Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus believes it is difficult to judge how strong France are at the moment.
The Boks face Jacques Brunel’s French side in Paris on Saturday and Erasmus will want his team to put their disappointing 11-12 defeat to England behind them as they go in search of their first victory on their end-of-year tour.
Meanwhile, France were last in action in June when they went down 0-3 in a Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand.
“It’s always difficult to judge a team after they played New Zealand,” Erasmus told reporters in Paris.
“Sometimes New Zealand can put 50 points past one of the best teams in the world. Their B side went to Japan and smashed them.
“I can only tell you [how strong France are] after we have played them.”
Erasmus: “It’s good to welcome Faf, Willie, Cheslin and the others back into the squad. They have valuable experience and knowledge of European conditions and we are looking forward to working with them again. All of them are available for selection this weekend.” #boksontour pic.twitter.com/yugYgALmys
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) November 5, 2018
The Springboks will be hard at work to rectify parts of their game that went astray at Twickenham ahead of the encounter in Paris.
They will also be helped by the return of star players like Faf de Klerk, Willie le Roux and Franco Mostert who not considered for the past weekend’s match against England at Twickenham because that match fell outside the official international window.
“We have got a lot to work on. I think against England we played really well at stages. We just didn’t convert those opportunities.
“Obviously we have to work on our execution and our biggest challenge at this stage is to get caps and experience under the belt, so that when you get to the World Cup you don’t have four or five players with under five Test matches. You won’t win the World Cup like that,” Erasmus added.
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Faf de Klerk on the move during the Springbok training session @INSEP_PARIS.#boksontour#CastleLagerOutgoingTour#LoveRugby#FRAvRSA pic.twitter.com/uZjmnNW2g3
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) November 5, 2018
