VIDEO: Bok coaches brainstorm key area of concern
SPOTLIGHT: The Springboks will be looking to improve in crucial areas of the game when they face Wales in Cardiff on Saturday.
The Boks will be heading into their final Test of the year as overwhelming favourites, but they still want to avoid handing Warren Gatland’s side any freebies.
Discipline was a big part of the discussion after the Boks conceded 14 penalties in their 29-20 win over England.
A large portion of those penalties came from defensive line-outs, including collapsing mauls and interfering with the opposition’s line-out jumpers.
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“We spoke about that [discipline] this morning [Monday], especially from a line-out perspective, “said Bok forwards coach Deon Davids.
“I’ve addressed it from my side and Jaco [Peyper – the Boks’ national laws advisor] provided a referee’s perspective.
“We’ve discussed our execution and its impact.
“Obviously in the last couple of years, we haven’t conceded so many penalties from defensive line-outs and it’s something that we pride ourselves on.
He added: “We looked at that and those are things that we can improve.
“It’s in our control, but we also might have been unlucky a few times.
“We don’t want to develop a tag around infringing in areas where we don’t want to and that is something we’ve addressed.”
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The penalty count against England eventually took its toll and replacement prop Gerhard Steenekamp was punished with a yellow card for his team’s repeated infringements.
“It’s one area of the game we can improve,” said Steenekamp.
“If it’s the first or last penalty you give away, it is still a penalty and it still means that you are in the wrong space at the wrong time.
“I took the bullet this time, but I was also in the wrong place.”
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