Time for Boks to step up for win

It is essential that the Springboks hold their nerve in a winner-take all showdown against an Irish outfit who are on the brink of making rugby history today.

If the Irish prevail it will be the first time they have won a series on South African soil and guarantee them a special place in rugby folklore.

The Boks, on the other hand, are defending a proud record that shows they have yet to lose in three previous matches at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.

“The one big thing for me in the Cape Town Test was how the pressure got to the players and I never expected that,” Bok coach Allister Coetzee said.

“The expectation was quite huge and you expect that young boys, because they are new to the set, that they would just take to it. But in the final analysis they were a bit nervous.

“That is the reality, but it has improved a lot in the second Test. They must understand from me that I don’t coach out of fear and it is a matter of sticking to our processes.

“This is a side that is putting something together that would be hitting their straps after a couple of Tests.

“The technical stuff, like body height in the carries, we were not happy with. For this Test the most important thing is that the players must be switched on for this.

“The motivation is we are playing for the series and the players understand that and their showing in the second half in Johannesburg gave them a lot of confidence and we would like to start like we left off.

“The Irish have seen they got a lot of reward from their kicking game and they will continue with that. For us it is a matter of handling that and making them play and have a go at us.

“They are a side who can attack and hold onto the ball.

“With ball in hand, kicking and also defence they will look at improving in stopping our momentum,” Coetzee said.

Springbok flyhalf Elton Jantjies will have a huge role to play as he bids to help steer his team to victory with a well executed game management plan.

Coetzee has urged his pivot to take control and get the Bok pack moving forward and turn the Irish around in the series decider.

Jantjies’ goal-kicking radar was not always finely tuned when the Boks won in Johannesburg and every point will have to be taken if the Boks are to emerge victorious.

“We have young No9 (Faf de Klerk) and a No10 (Elton Jantjies) who have never started enough so they are also learning and growing,” Coetzee said.

“But it is not just the responsibility of the 9 and 10 to make sure we are accurate.

“It is the team’s responsibility and I want to see guys in motion, keeping defenders honest and preventing them from putting pressure on Elton.”

Ireland’s ace lineout forward Devin Toner says his team anticipate the South Africans will start the deciding Test at a hot pace.

“For us it is crucial that we just don’t allow them to pick up the momentum early in the game that they enjoyed towards the end of the previous Test,” said the lock.

Teams:

South Africa: Willie le Roux, Ruan Combrinck, Lionel Mapoe, Damian De Allende, JP Pietersen, Elton Jantjies, Faf de Klerk, Warren Whiteley, Siya Kolisi, Francois Louw, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Adriaan Strauss (capt), Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: Bongi Mbonambi, Steven Kitshoff, Julian Redelinghuys, Franco Mostert, Jaco Kriel, Rudy Paige, Morne Steyn, Lwazi Mvovo.

Ireland: Tiernan O’Halloran, Andrew Trimble, Luke Marshall, Stuart Olding, Keith Earls, Paddy Jackson, Conor Murray, Jamie Heaslip, Jordi Murphy, CJ Stander, Devin Toner, Iain Henderson, Mike Ross, Rory Best (capt), Jack McGrath. Replacements: Sean Cronin, Finlay Bealham, Tadgh Furlong, Ultan Dillane, Rhys Ruddock, Eoin Reddan, Ian Madigan, Matt Healy.

Referee: Glen Jackson.