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Coetzee explains discipline issues

Cape Town - In the first Test against Ireland in Cape Town, the Springboks gave away five penalties in the opening 10 minutes. 

That set the tone for what would be a disastrous day in South African rugby history. 

Discipline in key areas of the field was also a major problem for the Boks in the first half of Saturday's second Test in Johannesburg as Paddy Jackson slotted four penalties to help his side to a 19-3 lead at the break. 

While the last 20 minutes set up a stunning comeback for the hosts as they leveled the series, coach Allister Coetzee knows that a lack of discipline is hurting his side at the moment. 

And, according to the coach, the errors are down to experience more than anything else.

"The players really want to go out there and do what they set out to do," Coetzee said in Saturday's post-match press conference.

"There are obviously reasons why it doesn’t happen … and the first is a lack of discipline.

"It’s not because they don’t understand the laws, it’s just typically from players who are really over-exuberant, if I can put it that way. It is over-exuberance of, I wouldn’t say youth, but experience.

"There is a lack of experience at the moment and that is exactly why we decided to give a player like Faf (De Klerk) an opportunity, Elton for the first time, Lionel Mapoe.

"They are players who haven’t started, and they will get there."

Coetzee said he expected his players to become smarter on the field because of how much the penalties are impacting the overall game-plan at the moment. 

"That over-eagerness will subside, because it is the penalties that are breaking our rhythm," said Coetzee.

"It’s not that we don’t have the skill, it’s just the over-eagerness at this point in time."

The third Test match and series decider takes place in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. 

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