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The importance of speed

EXCLUSIVE: The game has certainly evolved since speedster Tonderai Chavhanga tore up the field with his blistering pace and he believes speed is more important now than ever before.

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Chavhanga believes the game has not only gotten a lot faster but also more physical.

“I think speed is probably even more important now. When we played, there were a few guys who were out-and-out speedsters, but now you look at some of the hookers that are playing, they can run just as fast as the backs,” he said.

“The game has gotten so much faster and more physical. If you look at guys like [Makazole] Mapimpi, [Aphiwe] Dyanti and Rieko Ioane, they still fast. It’s important to have guys like that in the squad because you know that if you create the space, you can get them to finish.

“Everybody has just gotten so much faster with their whole scientific approach to things. I think everybody is so much better than what was back then,” he added.

Listen as Anton van Zyl, Morgan Newman and Tonderai Chavhanga discuss this topic and more below:

Never miss an episode of Late Tackle – the talk show with a difference, which brings in various personalities from all over the rugby world each week to dissect hot topics and provide unique insight into the professional game – subscribe here on iTunes.

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