Lood de Jager says the Springbok forwards are preparing for a physical arm-wrestle against a “big and confrontational” French pack on Saturday.
While the towering lock insisted that every Test match carries huge importance for the Boks, he admitted that the clash in Paris will be a major test of South Africa’s physicality and discipline against a side renowned for their set-piece power.
“The French are a very good team and we know it’s going to be a really big challenge – one that we’re looking forward to,” he said.
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De Jager, who has been central to the Boks’ dominance at lineout time this season, says the pack has done its homework on France’s forward play and expects a fierce contest in the tight exchanges.
“They’ve got a big pack and they’re quite confrontational,” he said. “It’s going to be a good challenge for us as a pack to see where we are at physically on Saturday.
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“They’ve got a good maul, they’ve got a good scrum and they play quite direct, so it’ll be a real big challenge for us.
“We’ve also analysed their lineouts and mauls where we expect them to be a big threat, and we need to get the upper hand to negate that threat.”
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France have not played since July, when an understrength side suffered a 3-0 Test series defeat in New Zealand. While their players have returned to action in the Top 14, the Springboks are battle-hardened.
“The Rugby Championship is a tough competition, and we’ve played world-class teams. They test you in different ways. Every opposition has different threats and ways you have to deal with them,” De Jager said.
“But the French have played in the Top 14, which is a very physical, confrontational league with very high standards.
“So it’s difficult to say, we will see on the day, who is prepared the best.”
Photo: David Rogers/Getty Images
