The Springboks won’t be basking in their glory for too long after beating France 37 – 14 at Loftus on the weekend. They will be focusing on the upcoming game against a more robust French team at Kings Park.
France will be reinforced this weekend when seven of their key players join the starting line-up.
Coach Allister Coetzee will be looking at the stats from the game this weekend and will certainly have to make some changes.
Although the Boks played with aggression and showed tenacity the stats still favour the French. Allister Coetzee took a gamble and chose a relatively inexperienced starting line-up. The win will certainly bring a little relief from a dismal season in 2016.
There are definitely some positives to take away from the game. The Boks moved the ball well and defended the try line with a sense of urgency that kept the French at bay. Man of the match Malcolm Marx played a terrific game along with Siya Kolisi who was a prominent feature for the Boks on the day. Ross Cronje kept his cool and that might be the reason Elton Jantjies played the best he has ever played in the green and gold. The experience of Frans Steyn came into play in the second half. He turned the game around and got the Boks back into the territory of the opposition. Bok captain Warren Whiteley kept the players calm, and along with Franco Mostert had a superb game.
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The Springboks showed some depth in their game, and this will hopefully be a turning point in South African rugby. France will want to settle the score this weekend at Kings Park. Let’s hope the Boks can come away with another win and build some confidence before the Rugby Championship later this year.