Springboks Aim to Cement Series Lead Against Resilient Ireland
As the reigning world champions, the Springboks are determined to maintain their dominance in the international rugby landscape when they face off against Ireland in the second Test in Durban on Saturday. Second-row forward Franco Mostert is under no illusions about the challenge that lies ahead, acknowledging that the Boks will need to be at their very best to secure another series victory.
“We certainly don’t think the win last week was a case of getting the monkey off our back,” he said. “They are feeling exactly the way we did in the Rugby World Cup, and we saw during the British & Irish Lions tour (in 2021) what that first defeat did for us. So, they’ll come back stronger, and it’s going to be a good test for us.”
The experienced 33-year-old is bracing himself for a fierce forward battle, identifying the breakdowns and mauls as key areas that the Springboks will need to improve on.
- “They did a good job last week at stopping our mauls and they are a team that generally don’t concede a lot of maul tries. So, hopefully we can come up with a few plans this weekend,” Mostert explained.
- “At the breakdowns they put Faf (de Klerk) and Grant (Williams) under pressure, so as a team we have to do improve in that area as well this weekend.”
Mostert also heaped praise on the Springboks’ influential “Bomb Squad,” whose impact off the bench in the opening Test proved pivotal, particularly their dominant scrum that earned a crucial penalty try.
“I get goosebumps when I think about that,” he said. “Coach Daan (Human – scrum coach) puts a lot of hard work in to get the scrums to function well, and it’s great to see the rewards.”
Despite his extensive international experience, including back-to-back Rugby World Cup triumphs, the 75-Test veteran acknowledges that his time in the Springboks jersey is not infinite.
“Each player has their own personal goals, and personally I plan to take it year by year,” Mostert said. “As long as my body can handle it, I’ll play until I’m no longer selected. But playing in three Rugby World Cups would be very special.”
The Springboks will be eager to build on their hard-fought victory in Pretoria and seal the series against a determined Ireland side, with Mostert leading the charge for the world champions.
🔗 Source
