'We know exactly what is coming' - Wales ready for predictable Boks
Dan Biggar says that Wales will “give absolutely everything” in pursuit of a Test series triumph against world champions South Africa that appeared inconceivable three weeks ago.
Biggar admits Wales would “probably have been laughed out of town” had such a possibly even been suggested before the series began.
But after losing narrowly to South Africa in the opener and bouncing back to tie things up last weekend, a titanic Test trilogy reaches its climax on Saturday.
Cape Town’s DHL Stadium and an expected 55,000 capacity crowd will witness Wales’ bid to shred international rugby’s form-book beyond recognition 14 months before the World Cup.
It is just 17 weeks since Wayne Pivac’s team lost at home to regular Guinness Six Nations wooden spoonists Italy, while they had won only four of 12 games before departing Heathrow – beating Canada, Fiji, Australia and Scotland.
“It is a great opportunity on Saturday for us to win a series here,” Wales captain Biggar said.
“I think if we had said that four or five weeks ago before we flew, we would probably have been laughed out of town if I had said that in front of you.
“It is definitely not one to miss, and we are hugely looking forward to it.
“We have put a huge amount into this tour as a group in terms of the amount of training we’ve done and the sacrifices we have made.
“We’ve worked our absolute socks off, so it would be brilliant to get a full reward on Saturday.
“We know this is our last week of the season, so we can go out and give absolutely everything and leave it all out there.”
Central to Wales’ success has been an approach – driven relentlessly by an inspired Biggar – to confront the Springboks in every area.
And it has left South Africa, noted exponents of an ultra-physical outlook, rattled at times.
Biggar added: “I have really enjoyed that side of it because that’s what Test match rugby is about. We certainly didn’t want to come here, lie down and roll the carpet out for the Springboks.
“It has got us going a little bit as well, and it is certainly not taking a step back and backing down to the challenge.
“I have enjoyed what the team has done in that sense in terms of not giving an inch. I would be disappointed if we were any softer than we have been for the last couple of weeks on Saturday.”
South Africa head coach Jacques Nienaber has recalled eight of the Springboks’ 2019 World Cup-winning team for Saturday’s finale, with six forwards and only two backs on the replacements’ bench.
Pivac, meanwhile, fields the side that went so close in Pretoria a fortnight ago, with one change from the second Test victory in Bloemfontein – Wales’ first against the Springboks in South Africa – sees wing Josh Adams replacing the injured Alex Cuthbert.
Centre George North, meanwhile, will become Wales’ most capped back in the men’s international game when he makes his 105th appearance.
“Our defensive review every time we play South Africa is very similar,” Biggar said. “We know exactly what is coming, but it’s whether you are good enough or strong enough to stop it on the day.
“We feel like we’ve been fairly comfortable in terms of what they have thrown at us, but ultimately when they turn the power on – and if you spend a lot of time in your own half against this team – you are going to get punished.
“It is about making sure we keep the ball on the park as often as we can and nullify their lineout game, which then comes down to discipline.
“If we can keep penalties to 10 or under (in the match) then we are in with a real shout of winning the game.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to comments