Share

Matfield: Fit Boks want to up the tempo

Cape Town - The Springboks have improved their fitness levels markedly and won’t mind playing a high tempo game against Japan in Brighton on Saturday, lock Victor Matfield says.

The Japanese are renowned for playing a fast paced style and the expectation is for them to try and catch the Boks napping in that regard.

Weather conditions on Saturday could slightly negate that Japanese threat, but whatever plays itself out, the Springboks would be ready for it.

“We’ve worked really hard on our fitness, so we want to lift the tempo of the match. I think we’ve got a good chance to do that against Japan, they play a high tempo game,” Matfield said at a press conference in Eastbourne on Wednesday.

Apart from a few surprise selections, coach Heyneke Meyer picked close to his strongest team for the match.

Duane Vermeulen and Eben Etzebeth have been given more time to recuperate from injuries, and apart from the omissions of Willie le Roux and Damian de Allende, the team in all likelihood resembles one which could feature come the knockout phases.

Matfield has admitted that they want to use the match as a stepping stone for the rest of the tournament, considering the fact that they haven’t played a match in a month.

“For us it’s all about building confidence and momentum into the competition, so we can see that the things we practiced are in place, so that we can go forward with great hope in this World Cup.”

Kick-off for Saturday’s clash at Brighton Community Stadium is scheduled for 17:45 (SA time).

Teams:

South Africa

15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Bryan Habana, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Lwazi Mvovo, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Schalk Burger, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Fourie du Preez, 22 Handre Pollard, 23 JP Pietersen

Japan

TBA

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE