Springbok stars Jesse Kriel and Ox Nché have thrown down a marker of their own ahead of Saturday’s Nations Championship clash against England at Ellis Park.
With Kriel eyeing a physical midfield battle and Nché bracing for a set-piece contest, the Boks are under no illusions about the size of the task awaiting them in Johannesburg.
Earlier this week, England rookie centre Seb Atkinson declared he was ready to “put my footprint on it” against the world champions’ midfield of Kriel and Damian de Allende.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Kriel was quick to acknowledge the threat posed by his young opposite number, but pointed out that raw fitness numbers count for little once the whistle blows.
“I think he’s obviously a great player. He’s going to add massive value to their squad,” the 2019 and 2023 World Cup hero said.
“I know he’s broken the [England] Bronco record, but the Bronco doesn’t win you rugby games.
“Our fitness tests are a good baseline because you want to show you’re able to meet the demands of Test rugby.
“But all their centres are quality players. They’ve shown throughout the Premiership how good they are. So I’m looking forward to the challenge and excited about it.”
Up front, Nché has been paying close attention to England’s top scrummagers’ Premiership form, and expects a side unlike the traditional English pack the Boks have grown used to facing.
“I think they’re a pretty exciting bunch of players. We’ve watched Northampton and we’ve watched the Premiership,” he said.
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“They’ve got a lot of youngsters who have already played plenty of rugby for England. They’ll definitely front up physically.
“They’ve got a lot of energy, exciting wings and plenty of variation in their game. They’re probably not the England team we’re all used to.
“When they see opportunities, they’ve got the talent to take them. So I think they’re a pretty sharp side.”
The World Cup-winning prop was equally wary of England’s scrum, warning that the visitors’ front row will not be easily shifted.
“We’ve looked at a lot of clips of them. I think they’re very consistent,” he said. “They’ve got guys who’ve been working together for a while. They get low, they hit hard. I think it’s going to be a real challenge.
“They’ve also got a lot of younger players who seem very excited about scrummaging.
“So they have a very good scrum and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images
The post ‘Bronco won’t win England the game’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Springbok stars Jesse Kriel and Ox Nché have thrown down a marker of their own ahead of Saturday’s Nations Championship clash against England at Ellis Park.
The post ‘Bronco won’t win England the game’ appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
