England are ready for scheming from South Africa at the Stade de France on Saturday but believe the World Cup will be decided in other areas.
Springboks boss Rassie Erasmus is accomplished at what Warren Gatland describes as “dark arts”, such as using mind games to give his side an edge, especially through the use of social media to “control the agenda”.
The most recent example is the suggestion that the Springboks used HIAs in their quarter-final victory over France last Sunday to give forwards Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Bongi Mbonambi a rest – a claim denied by Erasmus.
Attack coach Richard Wigglesworth insists England know they will be targeted in the last-four showdown in Paris and even believes that their media output is being monitored closely.
“I’m sure that, with the smarts of their coaching team, they will try to throw stuff at us, no doubt. Will that be the winning and losing of this game? Probably not,” Wigglesworth said.
“It will probably be the big bits of the game that decides that and then they’ll give those little nuances a chance.
“I wouldn’t like to guess what they are going to try and do because I know they will watch and hear everything we say. I wouldn’t like to try and give anyone a head start.”
They’ve evolved a little bit but without changing their DNA, which we know is incredibly physical with a good kicking game on the back of a rush defence— Richard Wigglesworth
South Africa are aiming to win their fourth World Cup and enter the second semi-final as overwhelming favourites, while few people are giving England a chance.
“If there is pressure on South Africa, then they’ve shown they can deal with it,” Wigglesworth said.
“They dealt with it at the last World Cup and dealt with it in numerous games. It’s not something that we’ve been clinging on to.
“I’m super-impressed with them as an outfit. They’ve evolved a little bit but without changing their DNA, which we know is incredibly physical with a good kicking game on the back of a rush defence.
“That’s stuff that we’re going to have to deal with, but we also need to make sure that we’re giving them some food for thought.”
