All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax is bracing for a Test-like challenge at scrum time against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.
The All Blacks prop is relishing his return to action after spending the first two matches of their South African tour on the sidelines getting back to full fitness after a deep cut to the knee he sustained in the Nations Championship Test against Ireland.
He says New Zealand will have to front up against a Bulls pack built around the same set-piece culture that defines Springbok rugby.
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The All Blacks have already faced the Stormers and Sharks on tour, giving them a taste of the physical demands of South African rugby, and Lomax believes the Bulls will provide another stern test.
“We try to play a fast and expansive style of rugby whereas you come over here and it’s a bit more like a Test match in terms of how the set-piece is seen,” Lomax said.
“So we know it’s part of the South African culture and DNA.”
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The All Blacks were rattled in the scrums, mauls and lineouts against the Stormers before tightening up their set-piece work in their clash with the Sharks.
That improvement will now be put to another test against Johan Ackermann’s Bulls.
“Against the Stormers we gave away a few penalties but then made a few improvements over a short period of time against the Sharks,” Lomax said.
“So coming up against the Bulls which is another set-piece side, we’ve got to front up.”
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Lomax is looking forward to getting stuck in again.
“I’ve been holding tackle bags for the last two games, so I’m very excited to get back out there with an exciting forward pack. We were pretty happy with our performance against the Sharks and how our set-piece operated.”
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Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The post Lomax: Scrums will be more than just restarts appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
All Blacks prop Tyrel Lomax is bracing for a Test-like challenge at scrum time against the Vodacom Bulls at Loftus on Saturday.
The post Lomax: Scrums will be more than just restarts appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
