Springboks back in training ahead of Rugby Championship: 3 focus points
Thirty-seven Springboks were included in the squad for the two-week camp in Johannesburg that started on Sunday. These will be eligible for the two Tests against Australia at Ellis Park on August 16 and in Cape Town on August 23.
Three U20 players, fresh from winning the World Rugby U20 Championship, are also attending the camp.
It follows Bok wins against the Barbarians (54–7), Italy (42–24 and 45–0) and Georgia (55–10). These served as good warm-ups for the championship defence. But the Springboks will be focusing on a few areas of their game.
Breakdown battle
The Springboks recovered from the demolition they received in the breakdown battle in the first Test against Italy, but it was a whole new squad that evened things out against the 10th-ranked nation in the second Test in Gqeberha.
The more experienced matchday 23 were at odds during the breakdown at Loftus. Though, to be fair, the Springboks were caught out somewhat by the referee's decision to allow Italy to flood the breakdown with players.
Still, the team filled with world cup winners could not adapt to Italy's strategy. They may need to relook at this.
Who's kicking for posts?
The Springboks were happy to kick for touch in the warm-up games, with their lineout and forward packs proving dominant. But it will not be so easy against the likes of New Zealand, Argentina and Australia. The Boks may need to take the three points on offer when they can.
Manie Libbok and Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu finished the United Rugby Championship with 72.6% and 85.7% kicking success. However, the latter struggled against Georgia, only slotting one from five.
Libbok, normally the less dependable goal-kicker, nailed five out of seven the week before.
Still, Handré Pollard grasped his opportunities with both hands, once again proving the best post-kicker in the Springbok squad. He will likely either start or play from the bench in every match, but the other two will especially need to practice their goal-kicking.
Imparting something to the U20 world champions
While it won't be a focus point so much as a secondary objective, U20 loose forward Bathobele Hlekani, winger Cheswill Jooste, and scrumhalf Haashim Pead will need to soak up as much as they can on the camp.
Already world champions with big-match temperament, Erasmus will likely only wish the youngsters to rub shoulders with their seniors to absorb some of the Springbok culture, and improve on their own game.
According to former Junior Bok consultant Johan Ackermann, Hlekani especially needs to tighten his tackling.
This article first appeared in The Citizen.
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