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Playing Springboks at altitude in SA 'as tough as it gets'

By PA
Pollard is on his way out, but who is set to replace him at Loftus Versfeld? (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Wales captain Dan Biggar readily admits that Saturday’s first Test assignment against world champions South Africa at altitude in Pretoria is “about as tough as it gets”.

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But Biggar is also upbeat about Wales’ prospects across a three-match series, which begins at a sold-out Loftus Versfeld.

Wales have never beaten the Springboks in South Africa, losing 10 previous encounters and conceding a total of more than 400 points.

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Wayne Pivac believes the first Test is a ‘level playing field’ for Wales versus SA

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Wayne Pivac believes the first Test is a ‘level playing field’ for Wales versus SA

They also tackle Siya Kolisi’s team on the back of a dismal home defeat against Italy that consigned them to a fifth-place Guinness Six Nations finish.

“We know the challenge that lies ahead,” Biggar said. “It’s probably up there with the biggest challenges in world rugby, playing the world champions, the number one-ranked team in their own backyard at altitude in front of 50,000 Springboks supporters.

“It is about as tough as it gets, but I think what the squad has done off the back of a disappointing end to the Six Nations is we’ve really come together.

“We have said it is almost like a fresh start, a clean slate, and just go out there with a bit of freedom and really express ourselves.

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“Because if we listen to everything that is being reported, everything in the media, fans, pundits and everyone, we may as well not turn up and have three weeks on holiday here.

“So from our point of view, it will show a lot of character about us on Saturday, and I am hoping that can shine through.

“We played here in 2014, in Durban for the first Test, and we were out of the game inside 20 minutes.

“We got absolutely blown away, and they are a very difficult team to play against at the best of times, let alone when you’ve got to chase the game.

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“We are all aware of what lies in wait if we can pull off one of the best Wales victories in the modern era.”

Biggar leads a team that shows eight changes from the Italy debacle, with the likes of full-back Liam Williams, centre George North and lock Will Rowlands all returning, while Leicester flanker Tommy Reffell makes his Test debut.

And Biggar is among eight players in Wales’ match-day 23 who featured on the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa last year, while for a number of others it will be a first Springboks experience away from home.

“Obviously, a few of us were here last year when it was very different in terms of being stuck in a hotel for 23 hours of the day and an hour out for training. It was really tough work,” he said.

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“When you have got young guys who perhaps haven’t experienced what it is like to play against this side, you have nothing to compare it to and you have no fear because you haven’t faced it, and I think that is a really good thing for us as a squad.

“There are a lot of boys who haven’t experienced it and are just chomping at the bit to go out and get stuck into what is a world-class XV that the Springboks have named.”

Wales assistant coaches Stephen Jones and Gethin Jenkins were part of the Lions starting line-up beaten 28-25 by South Africa at Loftus Versfeld in 2009.

“They have said it is one of the best places to play rugby in terms of a hostile crowd, really in your face getting stuck in and supporting the Springboks,” Biggar continued.

“I think that is brilliant. We played there 12 months ago in one of the (Lions) tour games, and for such a historic stadium it was just soulless without the crowd.

“I think that will get the best out of us on Saturday. As difficult and intimidating as it is, it’s also a real challenge for us.

“When we’ve had tough defeats as a team, we have always responded quite well.”

We’ve got our hands on tickets to the upcoming eToro Series as the Wallabies take on England in their own backyard! Click here for your chance to win.

 

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Jon 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

28 Go to comments
A
Adrian 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

28 Go to comments
T
Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

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