Boks missed enforcers - Krige
Tendai Beast Mtawarira earlier this week said that the Springboks badly missed their enforcers last year.
Listen to the full interview here, or read our story below.
Mtawarira mentioned the likes of Duane Vermeulen, Bismarck du Plessis and Marcell Coetzee as players he would like to see back in the Springbok squad.
Former Springbok captain, Corne Krige, is another who believes that enforcers were missed by the Boks in 2016.
"Every single pack needs a couple of enforcers. We had a good pack last year, but I agree with Beast. We did miss a couple of enforcers. Added to this was a lack of experience in the Bok pack. Usually the enforcers aren't young guys. The enforcers tend to be the older guys who have played a lot of Test matches," Krige said.
Brendan Venter has this year been added to the Springbok coaching team and Krige feels this is a good move.
"Look he is a great guy and a great coach. He understands rugby and he knows what is needed to win Test matches. So I think he will be a great addition and hopefully he will bring that bit of an edge to the coaching team. He is big on discipline and getting guys to really do what they need to do," Krige added.
Vodacom Super Rugby will feature only 15 teams next year, with South Africa set to lose two of its franchises. Krige feels long-term this may be good for South African rugby.
"The one problem is how we are going to get the Eastern Cape to be strong. The challenge is to tap that talent pool that is lying there. I think that is a potential challenge. Yet four teams in the long-run may be what is best for our rugby. We will have a lot more depth in each squad. I think we see now with the Stormers. They started really well. You then lose a few centres and a couple of locks and suddenly your whole campaign starts to crumble. So depth is hugely important in Super Rugby," Krige said.
The All Blacks and New Zealand franchises have made a habit of ending games strongly. Krige feels this could be due to more than just conditioning.
"There is a possibility that their conditioning could be superior. Yet my suspicion is that a lot may be due to the fact that they play attacking rugby. This may well help them to last longer in a rugby match. You know defending for long periods of time does take its toll. I think that is the difference. Our teams really struggle in the last ten minutes, because we defend so much in the course of the match. We don't carry the ball as much as the New Zealanders do. I think this plays a role," Krige concluded.
Former Springbok captain, Corne Krige, is another who believes that enforcers were missed by the Boks in 2016.
"Every single pack needs a couple of enforcers. We had a good pack last year, but I agree with Beast. We did miss a couple of enforcers. Added to this was a lack of experience in the Bok pack. Usually the enforcers aren't young guys. The enforcers tend to be the older guys who have played a lot of Test matches," Krige said.
Brendan Venter has this year been added to the Springbok coaching team and Krige feels this is a good move.
"Look he is a great guy and a great coach. He understands rugby and he knows what is needed to win Test matches. So I think he will be a great addition and hopefully he will bring that bit of an edge to the coaching team. He is big on discipline and getting guys to really do what they need to do," Krige added.
Vodacom Super Rugby will feature only 15 teams next year, with South Africa set to lose two of its franchises. Krige feels long-term this may be good for South African rugby.
"The one problem is how we are going to get the Eastern Cape to be strong. The challenge is to tap that talent pool that is lying there. I think that is a potential challenge. Yet four teams in the long-run may be what is best for our rugby. We will have a lot more depth in each squad. I think we see now with the Stormers. They started really well. You then lose a few centres and a couple of locks and suddenly your whole campaign starts to crumble. So depth is hugely important in Super Rugby," Krige said.
The All Blacks and New Zealand franchises have made a habit of ending games strongly. Krige feels this could be due to more than just conditioning.
"There is a possibility that their conditioning could be superior. Yet my suspicion is that a lot may be due to the fact that they play attacking rugby. This may well help them to last longer in a rugby match. You know defending for long periods of time does take its toll. I think that is the difference. Our teams really struggle in the last ten minutes, because we defend so much in the course of the match. We don't carry the ball as much as the New Zealanders do. I think this plays a role," Krige concluded.
Twitter - @SportswaveAndre