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Cape Town - Three former Springbok props feel there's no need for panic or drastic change when it comes to the Springbok front row.
The Bok front row suffered humiliation at the hands of Argentina in Salta at the weekend, with the reputations of Jannie du Plessis and Gurthro Steenkamp taking serious body blows.
However, Garry Pagel, Daan Human and Ollie le Roux feel there is no reason for panic or for other players to be drafted in.
The trio spoke to Volksbladand while admitting that there is room for improvement, they insist the Boks shouldn't go into panic mode.
"There is no reason for panic. The guys just need to go back to doing the basics of scrum work. They must focus on playing together as a tight unit," said Pagel.
Pagel, who represented the Boks at the 1995 World Cup, said it wasn't an 8-man scrum effort against the Argentines.
Human, who played four Tests for the Boks in 2002, said there is no reason for a change in guard.
"We have the right guys up front. We have everything we need to make things right. We just need the right attitude. We didn't scrum together as a unit against Argentina and the focus should now be to scrum as a unit. As an ex-Bok I can tell you that you don't scrum badly two Saturdays in a row. Every guy will ask himself if that was his best effort and use it as motivation. I'm not worried," said Human.
Le Roux echoed Human's sentiments.
"One Saturday you scrum badly and the next is better. The guys know their reputations are at stake. We have the players up front to correct this thing."
Le Roux said a different scrum coach may be the answer and suggested Lions coach Johan Ackermann could help. Former France prop Pieter de Villiers is the current Bok scrum coach.
The Springboks' next Rugby Championship clash is against Australia in Perth on September 6.
Springbok squad to travel to Australasia:
Forwards:
Willem Alberts, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Brits, Marcell Coetzee, Lodewyk de Jager, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Teboho Mohoje, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Marcel van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen
Backs:
Damian de Allende, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Cornal Hendricks, Francois Hougaard, Patrick Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, Handré Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Jan Serfontein, Morné Steyn
The Bok front row suffered humiliation at the hands of Argentina in Salta at the weekend, with the reputations of Jannie du Plessis and Gurthro Steenkamp taking serious body blows.
However, Garry Pagel, Daan Human and Ollie le Roux feel there is no reason for panic or for other players to be drafted in.
The trio spoke to Volksbladand while admitting that there is room for improvement, they insist the Boks shouldn't go into panic mode.
"There is no reason for panic. The guys just need to go back to doing the basics of scrum work. They must focus on playing together as a tight unit," said Pagel.
Pagel, who represented the Boks at the 1995 World Cup, said it wasn't an 8-man scrum effort against the Argentines.
Human, who played four Tests for the Boks in 2002, said there is no reason for a change in guard.
"We have the right guys up front. We have everything we need to make things right. We just need the right attitude. We didn't scrum together as a unit against Argentina and the focus should now be to scrum as a unit. As an ex-Bok I can tell you that you don't scrum badly two Saturdays in a row. Every guy will ask himself if that was his best effort and use it as motivation. I'm not worried," said Human.
Le Roux echoed Human's sentiments.
"One Saturday you scrum badly and the next is better. The guys know their reputations are at stake. We have the players up front to correct this thing."
Le Roux said a different scrum coach may be the answer and suggested Lions coach Johan Ackermann could help. Former France prop Pieter de Villiers is the current Bok scrum coach.
The Springboks' next Rugby Championship clash is against Australia in Perth on September 6.
Springbok squad to travel to Australasia:
Forwards:
Willem Alberts, Bakkies Botha, Schalk Brits, Marcell Coetzee, Lodewyk de Jager, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Francois Louw, Victor Matfield, Teboho Mohoje, Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, Marcel van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen
Backs:
Damian de Allende, Jean de Villiers (captain), Bryan Habana, Cornal Hendricks, Francois Hougaard, Patrick Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, Handré Pollard, Cobus Reinach, Jan Serfontein, Morné Steyn
