WATCH: ECR Sport chats to John Smit and Tendai Mtawarira ahead of Lions tour
2007 RWC winning Springbok captain John Smit and recently retired 2019 RWC winner Beast Mtawarira tip South Africa to have a mental edge over the British and Irish Lions in next year's Castle Lager Lions Series.
The build up to the 2021 British and Irish Lions Series in South Africa has begun after Castle Lager was unveiled as the title sponsor of the incoming tour at a media event at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on 5 November.
2007 Rugby World Cup winning Springbok captain John Smit, recently retired 2019 Rugby World Cup winner Beast Mtawarira and current World Rugby Player of the Year Pieter-Steph du Toit were on hand to share their thoughts and expectations ahead of the upcoming tour next year.
Smit and Mtawarira played alongside each other in the 2009 Lions series, which the Springboks clinched with a last-gasp penalty slotted by Morne Steyn, and the front-rowers offered unique insights into the upcoming tour.
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Smit sees plenty of similarities between the 2009 Springbok team that beat the Lions and the class of 2021 that will also be going into the series as World Champions as well.
Meanwhile Mtawarira is expecting the Lions to stay true to their DNA and believes the visitors will be looking for set piece dominance in 2021.