Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus optimistic ahead of UK and Europe tour
The Springboks have embarked on a five-week tour of the UK and Europe, with coach Rassie Erasmus leading a small group of players and management as they head to London in preparation for their opening Test against Japan on November 1.
The squad has been arriving in London in waves, with the full team expected to gather on Monday morning for training.
Following their match against Japan at Wembley Stadium, the Springboks will face formidable opponents: France at Stade de France in Paris on November 8, Italy at Allianz Stadium in Turin on November 15, Ireland at Aviva Stadium in Dublin on November 22, and Wales at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on November 29. All matches will be broadcast live on SuperSport.
Erasmus expressed excitement about the challenges ahead, acknowledging the tough competition as they measure themselves against some of the world’s leading teams.
“A lot of hard work has been put in behind the scenes since the Castle Lager Rugby Championship for this tour,” said Erasmus. “We hope it strengthens our standing for the remainder of the season.”
He noted the contrasting conditions in the UK and Europe compared to South Africa, although many squad members are accustomed to these environments from previous tours or through experience with overseas clubs.
“Fortunately, the time zone is similar to South Africa, allowing us to transition back into Test mode swiftly from our first training session on Monday,” Erasmus added.
Regarding their opponents, Erasmus recognized Japan’s continual improvement and recalled a previous loss to them, suggesting a fierce challenge awaits on Saturday.
“France’s previous match against us in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals will motivate them,” he stated, as they enter the matchup ranked fourth globally, while Ireland sits in third. “We know how demanding matches at Aviva Stadium can be.”
Erasmus also highlighted Italy’s past performance against the Springboks and acknowledged that Wales will be looking to perform strongly after a challenging period previously.
“We need to prepare mentally and physically to achieve the desired results each week,” he concluded, confident in the abilities of his quality players.
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