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Koen to save Bok kicking game?

The Springbok coaching team have welcomed the arrival of kicking coach Louis Koen ahead of facing Australia.

The South African kicking game has been less than satisfactory and head coach Allister Coetzee has brought Koen in on a more permanent role after the former Springbok could not be fully involved in all legs of the tournament.

The announcement of Koen's arrival comes in the wake of Coetzee denying that he asked for more coaching help from upper management.

Coetzee believes Koen can help iron out some of South Africa's kicking worries.

“Louis has always been part, and has been part of the SA Rugby mobi unit. He has moved into a full-time job. He has always been part of us, but while we were in Nelspruit and overseas he couldn’t help us out, as he was running the U16 and U18 tournaments. It is good to have him back, the players do benefit from his experience,” Coetzee told Supersport.

“The kicking execution hasn’t always been good. To be honest with you. When I started my meeting yesterday, I showed the players that is one area we are not dominating. And that puts our defence under massive stress.

“I don’t know if you could recall the last time we played against Australia in that game. Due to poor kick execution and also Folau has been good in the air. That leads to line breaks and that puts our defence under stress.

“I think it isn’t that the players don’t understand the plan necessarily but it is just that here and there there has been a lack of execution."

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