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Koch: I know what Bok coach expects

Cape Town - New Springbok prop Vincent Koch says he knows what coach Heyneke Meyer expects from him on the international stage.

Koch, 25, has been included on the Springbok bench for their clash against the World XV at Newlands on Saturday.

The Pumas loosehead was loaned to the Stormers for this year’s Super Rugby competition and impressed to such an extent that he got a Springbok call-up.

While Saturday’s match will not be an official Test, Koch nevertheless relishes the opportunity of representing the Springboks for the first time.

“Coach Heyneke sees this as a Test. He doesn’t see it as a friendly. No game for the Boks is a friendly," Koch told reporters in Cape Town on Wednesday. "He sees it as a Test. I know I won’t be capped this weekend, but I’m just as excited as I would have been had I received my cap."

Koch said he would not be doing much different as to what worked for him during a successful season at the Stormers.

“The coach said I shouldn’t try to do anything different. I just have to play my game like I did with the Stormers. He said I should just stick to that. I was good enough there, and he just wants me to carry that form into the Springboks. So I won’t change much, it will be exactly the same as I did at the Stormers.”

Koch credited the Stormers coaching staff for improving his scrummaging.

"We worked a lot on the smaller, finer detail. We worked a lot on the height of our scrums, because we felt the other teams would be very high. And I think that worked for us."

Koch also admitted that he has his sights set on making the final World Cup squad later this year.

“I think I should just focus on my own stuff, and focus on playing my best everyday like it’s the last and just give my all and give him (Meyer) a top player to choose from.

“We are a lot of props at the moment, but we all have a chance and we’re all good players and for me to become better I’m going to boost the other props as well.

“So yes, just to be the best I can possibly be for the Boks and for selection.”

Meyer said he was looking forward to seeing Koch in action for the Springboks.

“Vince has done really well. He’s impressed at Super Rugby and this is the perfect game to show what he can do. It’s going to be a big test for him. We’re still working with Frans (Malherbe) on his fitness levels. I know what I’ve got with Frans and there’s a good chance he will be involved in the next game.”

Kick-off for Saturday's clash at Newlands is scheduled for 17:00.

Teams:

Springboks

15 Willie le Roux, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Marcell Coetzee, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 Oupa Mohoje, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Cobus Reinach, 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Jean de Villiers

World XV

TBA


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