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Cape Town - Former Springbok hooker Schalk Brits has tipped England to beat the Springboks in their upcoming three-Test series.
England are yet to beat the Boks in a series in South Africa but Brits, who plies his trade at English club Saracens, believes the time is right for them to make history.
Despite several injury blows for Eddie Jones’ England, Brits still predicts a series win for the visitors.
“England didn’t have a great Six Nations but they definitely go to South Africa as favourites because they have a squad that has been together for a long time. Rassie (Erasmus, Bok coach) is striving, in a very short time, to get structures in place and losing guys like Jan Serfontein is a real blow,” Brits said in an interview with the RugbyPass website.
England will be without captain Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes, George Kruis, Anthony Watson, Jonathan Joseph, Nathan Hughes and Sam Underhill, while Billy Vunipola also remains a doubt.
In the interview, Brits also heaped praise on English-based Willie le Roux (fullback) and Faf de Klerk (scrumhalf).
Both players are rumoured to be in line for Springbok call-ups.
“Willie has been voted the Wasps supporters player of the season and Faf has got the same award at Sale. I have played with and against Willie and he creates space for others or makes something happen himself. From a fullback perspective, we have been struggling in South Africa and he would bring a different dimension to the Bok side. Faf instils passion into the game and it’s not like people are queuing up for the No.9 role with the Boks and it is up for grabs,” Brits said.
The first Test between South Africa and England is scheduled for Ellis Park in Johannesburg on June 9, followed by Tests in Bloemfontein (Free State Stadium, June 16) and Cape Town (Newlands, June 23).
