Anthony Watson says there’s one player England need to be especially careful of in their Nations Championship opener against the Springboks at Ellis Park on 4 July.
England head to Johannesburg looking to improve a poor recent record against the world champions, having won only one of their last five meetings with the Boks.
Speaking to Planet Rugby alongside fellow former England international Elliot Daly, Watson said: “I think Cheslin Kolbe is the biggest threat.
“He can make stuff happen out of absolutely nothing. If he has 10-plus touches in a game, the chances of South Africa winning and him having a large influence go up, so for me, he’s the biggest threat.”
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Kolbe has often been a thorn in England’s side, most memorably scoring in the Springboks’ victory in the 2019 World Cup final.
Daly, meanwhile, highlighted the challenge of facing the Boks at Ellis Park, where altitude and a passionate home crowd add another layer of difficulty.
“Going to play them away is very different to playing them at home,” Daly said. “Ellis Park is a hard place to go, being at altitude as well, so we have to be well prepared when we go over there to understand what that brings.”
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The former England fullback also pointed to the Boks’ renowned squad depth and ability to finish strongly through their bench.
“What they’ve shown over the last few years is that they stay in games until the end,” Daly said.
“They’ve shown how strong their bench is as well, and who they can bring on. Their squad depth is pretty impressive and they’ve got some good youngsters coming through.”
Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images
The post Ex-England wing names Bok danger man appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Anthony Watson says there’s one player England need to be especially careful of in their Nations Championship opener against the Springboks at Ellis Park on 4 July.
The post Ex-England wing names Bok danger man appeared first on SA Rugby magazine. Read More
