VIDEO: Set-piece battle will be huge says Baabaas captain
WATCH as Barbarians captain Peter O’Mahoney speaks about the set-piece battle he expects from the Springboks when his side faces the World Champions at the Cape Town Stadium on Saturday.
The Test veteran has faced some of the best in the game throughout his career, including the likes of Richie McCaw and David Pocock, amongst many others.
The 35-year-old also captained the British and Irish Lions once against New Zealand in 2017 in the first Test, which the tourists lost at Eden Park.
He featured in three World Cup campaigns for Ireland (2015, 2019, and 2023) and won five Six Nations titles, two Grand Slams, and four Triple Crowns with the men in emerald green.
The flanker also won two United Rugby Championship titles with Munster in 2010 and 2022.
O’Mahoney has faced the Springboks on seven occasions and only lost twice to the current World Champions.
Now captaining the invitational side in his swansong match, O’Mahoney and his team know what to expect from the Boks despite their limited time to prepare.
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“I’m sure it’s going to be a huge battle to play against South Africa.
“Every time we play here, whether it’s with our clubs or with Ireland, many of the guys who have played here will know breakdowns are hugely important.
“It’s a physical battle. The set-piece [battle] is huge and I’m sure it will be no different this weekend.
“We obviously haven’t had a huge amount of time to plan all the details we normally put together.
“But as the Barbarians, you depend on your instincts and what you picked up during the week. It’s going to be a huge test.”
O’Mahoney spoke about Springbok captain Siya Kolisi’s late withdrawal from the match due to injury.
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“It’s disappointing. He’s one of the best players in the game, and they’re the reason the game is great.
“You want to compete against these kinds of guys, but there are plenty of injuries in rugby, and that’s what happened.
“I’m sure South Africa, like all teams, plan for these things, and the guys who will get the opportunity [to replace Siya] I’m sure will step up.”
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