Boks feel the pain in training ahead of first Test
SPOTLIGHT: After a 20-month absence from the international game, the Springboks are feeling the pain in training ahead of their first Test against Georgia next week.
The Springboks will play the Georgians twice ahead of their three-Test series against the British and Irish Lions.
While Lions Series will be the highlight on the Springboks’ calendar, Springbok hooker Bongi Mbonambi said the squad is not looking beyond that first match at Loftus Versfeld next Friday.
“Before we look to the British and Irish Lions we are definitely focussing on Georgia,” Mbonambi said from the team’s base in Bloemfontein.
“From the clips that we have seen as forwards, they do have a quality scrumming pack. They scrum very low and that is an adjustment we have to make on our side.
“We have been working hard on this in the past two weeks. The coaches have been putting everything in place to make sure that everyone is on the same page.”
#⃣TRIAL RUN: They have been trying hard to sell it as the real deal, but it is a ‘curtain raiser’ for the eight-match tour to South Africa
🔰The big day is getting closer#Rugby 🌐#RugbyUnion🏉#StrongerTogether 💪#LionsRugby #Lions2021🇬🇧V🇯🇵
🔗https://t.co/FeHxsXszww pic.twitter.com/FnzG5To2l6— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) June 25, 2021
Intensity levels
Mbonambi said the players in camp are feeling the rise in intensity levels in training.
“At the moment what people don’t understand is that there is a massive difference between playing a local competition and heading into an international series.
“The difference is vast. The intensity is 10 times higher than playing a local side.
“The coaches have been trying to make sure everyone gets back to that international intensity.
“We have been feeling it in our bodies and you can just feel the difference between training at your local franchise and coming into a Springbok set-up.
“I am 100 percent sure our bodies will be ready for the intensity. I will definitely be prepared for it with the way I am training now,” the Bok hooker added.
