JJ Harmse

London – Maybe it was the familiar faces next to the training field, but it was a focused Springbok team that started their training at Saracens’ training field in St Albans for next week’s match against the home team.

With a dozen South Africans involved at Saracens, and the club’s head coach being former Springbok centre Brendan Venter, as well as ex-Bok flyhalf Derick Hougaard popping in to say hello, there was a good atmosphere between the South Africans.

However, there was also a seriousness about the team, which, under the watchful eyes of Dick Muir and Jerome Paarwater, attempted to shake of the last cobwebs of last Friday's defeat against the Leicester Tigers at Welford Road.

With Heinke van der Merwe the only fit prop in the squad, the Boks could not hold any scrumming sessions. That will have to wait until Thursday when the team re-unites with the Test squad in Toulouse.

There was plenty of attention given to tactical kicking, counter-attacking and lineouts. Muir said the psychological aspects would enjoy attention when the senior Boks arrive.

“There is a good attitude and I think the guys realise the team’s performance will only be good if each guy does his bit,” he said.

Muir added that the lessons learned against Leicester would be taken to heart.

“They understand what it’s about at international level now. We warned them beforehand that everyone wants to knock you off your perch when you are world champions. I think they realise that now. I think valuable lessons were learned.”

Muir wants to see the group as positive when they are re-united with the Test team.

“It will be interesting to see which of the two groups will be the most positive when they get together again. Each guy has a lot to play for and you can’t allow a defeat like the one against Leicester to turn an entire tour upside down,” he said.

“The individuals must ensure that it does not happen, and then it also won’t happen in the team context.”

Meanwhile, Bok centre Wynand Olivier has said that the last 10 minutes against Leicester were a good foundation for the Saracens game.

“The guys are already more focused than they were at the beginning of the tour. The start against Leicester was good, but we lost direction and took too long to get back on the right track,” he said.

“We did not adapt well enough to what happened and there are no excuses for that. We should have performed better as professional players, even if some of them are still young.”

Olivier believes the onslaught in the last 10 minutes, when the team kept possession and created momentum with driving play up front, showed what was required earlier in the game.

He believes the arrival of the Test team will boost the squad.

“It’s a bunch of good players that have achieved a lot, so it won’t be difficult for them to motivate us. Everybody looks up to them and it will give us new energy.”