A photo of the muscle-bound Springboks went viral in the buildup to the 2019 Rugby World Cup, but according to Cheslin Kolbe the world champions are in even better condition this year.
Under former conditioning coach Aled Walters – who is now part of the England management team – the Springboks took their fitness to the next level four years ago in Japan.
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A post-workout photo of the bare-chested Boks went viral on social media in the days leading up to their 2019 World Cup opener against the All Blacks.
With Andy Edwards having been in charge of South Africa’s fitness since 2020 as the head of athletic performance, the Springboks are confident about their readiness for the 2023 tournament in France.
“Our conditioning was good in 2019,” Kolbe told Sunday newspaper Rapport. “I think we’re in a much, much better position now. I think there was very good preparation from all the coaches.
“From the conditioning coach, to every player who was willing to make sacrifices and take ownership to be better than four years ago. We are really in a good place.”
The Springboks have two more warm-up matches against Wales in Cardiff and the All Blacks at Twickenham, before they begin their World Cup campaign against Scotland on 10 September.
Photo: Twitter