Boks the 'ultimate physical challenge'
Hadden happy with Hines
Scotland coach Frank Hadden is "very happy" that the substantial bulk and uncompromising approach of Nathan Hines is available for the two-match test series against South Africa.
There was doubt over whether Hines would fly out with the Scotland squad for the first of their two Tests against the Springboks, which will be played in Durban on Saturday.
Hines plays his club rugby for Perpignan in France, who lost to Biarritz on Friday night in the semi-finals of the French championship play-offs.
If Perpignan had won, Hines would have been required to stay in France for another week before playing in the championship final on Saturday.
That would have been a big blow for Hadden, who is known to be a big admirer of the 29-year-old lock.
"I guess Nathan would have liked to have been in the final, but it's fortunate from our perspective that he has been able to join the squad," Hadden said.
At 116kg Hines is the heaviest second-row forward at Hadden's disposal.
And nowhere will his substantial bulk and uncompromising approach to the game be more invaluable than on this trip, on which Scotland hope to nullify the physical power of the team currently ranked second in the world.
"There is nobody tougher in world rugby," said Hadden.
"This is the ultimate physical challenge.
"They have so many big men who just keep coming straight at you over and over again.
"But we've played some very physical sides over the last year, and we have nothing to fear."
Hadden agreed that Scotland can draw confidence for the upcoming challenge from their defeat of world champions England in the Six Nations Championship at the end of February.
However, he stressed that Scotland expect South Africa to be an even greater challenge during the coming weeks.
"England and South Africa are fairly similar in their approach, although the Springboks use a rushing blitz defence, so in some ways that makes them even more intimidating," said Hadden.
"But a lot of our players have had a bit of practice against the blitz defence and like any system it has weaknesses which we hope to exploit.
"One thing you know for sure is that it is going to be tough, but that is the sort of challenge we relish.
"We are at our best when we are under pressure, we are at our best when we are underdogs and we are at our best when we have a really big challenge in front of us."
