As the Springboks prepare for their first Test of the year against Italy at Loftus, the good news for spectators is that far more favourable weather conditions are expected compared to what was seen in Cape Town this past weekend for the Barbarians game.
According to the ever reliable WindGuru website, Saturday looks set to be a pearler of a day, with temperatures rising to a peak of 19°C just prior to kick off (which is at 17:10).
There are expected to be clear skies all day and hardly any wind to speak of as the Springboks look to enjoy home ground advantage at altitude.
Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus said that the team were looking forward to the drier conditions that can be expected in Pretoria on Saturday.
“Some of the half gaps and some of the line breaks we made would have stuck if the weather had been drier” he said. “We can’t wait to play on a dry pitch and improve on our attack.
“We want to get better, the next three matches we’ll be trying to focus on us before we hit the Castle Lager Rugby Championship.”
Springboks ready to make a step up at Loftus
Italy may be ranked 10th in the world, but the Springboks expect a tough encounter against the visitors this weekend, especially given their emphasis on the scrums and the quality of their rugby in general.
“Unlike the Barbarians, who do not play regularly, Italy do, so we will be facing a proper Test team on Saturday,” said assistant coach Daan Human.
“The one thing about the Springboks is that we do not underestimate any side, and we know that Italy are very focused on their forward play, so it will be a proper Test match.”
Human elaborated on Italy’s performances this season and in the set pieces: “They were very competitive in their first two Six Nations matches, and they have a 93% scrum completion rate, which says a lot about that area of their game.
“They also won four scrum penalties and got a penalty try against Namibia, who had a few players who have played in Rugby World Cups before, so we certainly respect them as a team.
“We are not sure who they will play in the pack this weekend, but we know it will be a good contest.”
Erasmus will name his matchday squad for the match on Tuesday.
What is your score prediction?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
