Boks aiming for perfect start in third Test
South Africa and Ireland are tied at one-all in the series – after the Irish won the first Test (26-20) at Newlands on June 11, the Boks bounced back to win (32-26) at Ellis Park last Saturday.
In both matches, the Boks were quite poor from the start, which allowed Ireland to dominate and get a foothold in the games. However, the Boks did show glimpses of improvement in the second Test in Johannesburg when they twice came back from being 16 points down, 3-19 at half-time and 10-26 going into the final quarter, to win the match.
Springbok prop Tendai Mtawarira said they will need to be a lot better at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday if they are going to win the series.
"I think we are going to have to start much better than what we did this past weekend," said Mtawarira.
"We need to make sure that out discipline is really good and avoid making all those little errors that we made when we got into their 22.
"We could have scored a couple of tries and we need to eradicate those [errors] and make sure that we are much better when we get into their attack zone and put a few points on the board to create scoreboard pressure."
Mtawarira said that will be carrying the confidence they gained after the second-Test win into the series decider.
"This is why you play rugby – for moments like this.
"It is a final, so it's definitely a high pressure match and there is not going to be many opportunities. We have to take the ones that come our way.
"Everybody is excited – there is a big buzz in the camp this week. We got some confidence now, so we can really go into this game and believe that we can do it," he added.
Meanwhile, Coenie Oosthuizen has been called-up to the Springbok squad as front row cover ahead of the third Test after Trevor Nyakane was ruled out because of ankle injury he picked up in the second Test.
Nyakane, who can cover loosehead and tighthead prop, was a versatile option for the Springboks off the bench and assistant coach Matthew Proudfoot said his absence was a big loss for the team.
"I am really excited about Trevor – it is quite a big knock for us," said Proudfoot.
"He is a guy who can play both sides, which he has been doing that for the Bulls. When you travel with a squad you need a player that can do that.
"That is where we have been grooming Trevor and we were hoping to use that opportunity in this Test match."
Steven Kitshoff will likely provide cover off the bench in place of Nyakane and Proudfoot is confident in the 24-year-old's abilities.
"Kitshoff had an opportunity before the World Cup and now this is his chance.
"I believe in him. I coached him when he was a young boy and then developed him into a man at the Stormers. I am really excited about what he can do at the weekend.
"We were not as successful on their scrum, so I will put a lot of responsibility on his [Kitshoff] and Beast's [Tendai Mtawarira] shoulders to shore up that department," Proudfoot added.
By Warren Fortune, in Port Elizabeth
@FortuneWarren
@rugby365com
