Wales head coach Steve Tandy wants his troops to focus on their own performance when they renew hostilities with the Springboks in Durban on Saturday.
The teams clash in round three of the Nations Championship at Kings Park, with the Welsh looking to bounce back from last week’s defeat to Argentina.
While the visitors can draw encouragement from Scotland’s spirited 42-28 loss to South Africa at Loftus less a week ago, Tandy’s men are also determined to show how far they have come since last November’s 73-0 defeat to the Boks in Cardiff.
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“It’s about our performance,” Tandy said on Thursday after naming six changes to his starting XV from the loss to Los Pumas in San Juan.
“It’s making sure we get our parts of the game on the field. If you get too far ahead of where you want to be, you won’t get the performance.
“It’ll definitely be physical. It’s a chance to test ourselves against the best team in the world.”
Captain Dewi Lake has recovered from the knock that forced him off against Argentina, much to Tandy’s relief.
“He’s a tough man. He’s been brilliant in the way he’s led the team. His performances have been excellent. We’re pleased he’s come through fit,” he added.
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Tandy has also freshened up his lineup with a new midfield combination, Max Llewellyn and Ben Thomas replacing Eddie James and Joe Hawkins.
“It’s a bit of freshness in the centre. Joe and Eddie have been excellent. Max and Ben deserve an opportunity,” he said.
“Max did well for us in the autumn but has been unlucky with injuries. Ben has responded well since that England game.”
Despite the Pumas setback, Tandy believes Wales continue to make progress.
“The autumn campaign was excellent learning. The Six Nations, we got better every game. We beat Italy and played well against Ireland and Scotland.
“We backed up Italy with the Fiji win. We’re disappointed with last week. We’re lucky we’ve got another game on the weekend to finish off,” he concluded.
Photo: Marcos Brindicci/Getty Images
The post Tandy won’t let that 73-0 define Wales appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Wales head coach Steve Tandy wants his troops to focus on their own performance when they renew hostilities with the Springboks in Durban on Saturday.
The post Tandy won’t let that 73-0 define Wales appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
