By Jason Humphries
DURBAN, June 5 (Reuters) – England are braced for a physical
onslaught when they take on South Africa in the first test of a
three-match series, England prop Dan Cole said on Tuesday.
South Africa’s new coach Heyneke Meyer has picked a big,
physical squad for Saturday’s test in Durban and Cole, who
played under Meyer when the latter was coach of English club
side Leicester in 2008, said that matching the Springboks’
physicality would be a key factor in deciding the contest.
“”What we have seen of the South African Super Rugby
franchises, and knowing Heyneke Meyer, their game is about the
physical momentum that they can get if they get on the front
foot. Once they are behind you they have deadly finishers like
(wing) Bryan Habana,” Cole told reporters.
Cole, a veteran of 28 tests, played down suggestions that
the Springboks, who would only have had five days to prepare for
Meyer’s first test in charge of South Africa, would be
under-prepared.
“”The Springboks will play to their strengths which is a
physical game. There is not a lot of deception in their game,
like Australia or New Zealand, and South Africa will take it to
you physically.
“”Physicality is strength of Springbok rugby. I’m sure
Heyneke will have a few things up his sleeve but at Leicester we
played a fairly direct game,” he explained.
The 25-year-old Cole has played against the Springboks once
before, a 27-11 loss at Twickenham in 2010.
He said the expected Springbok front row of props Tendai
“”Beast” Mtawarira and Jannie du Plessis and hooker Bismarck du
Plessis was a formidable unit that he was looking forward to
getting to grips with.
“”They are a great front row,” Cole said. “They have played
together a lot and, as a front row, it is good that you know
each other inside out and they do.
“I played against them at Twickenham in 2010 and it was a
tough battle but that’s what we expect and what we go into this
weekend prepared for.”
(Editing by Dave Thompson)
