Damian Willemse says South Africa have a plan to deal with “magician” Finn Russell as they look to stifle the Scotland playmaker in Sunday’s curtain-raising Rugby World Cup clash.
Willemse will start at full-back for the Springboks but will share creative duties with fly-half Manie Libbok in Marseille.
Russell will hold the keys to Scotland’s attack, but he will be targeted by the reigning world champions’ gargantuan pack in a bid to shut down his game-changing plays.
“I think we’ve prepared really well this week in making plans for what Finn can do,” said Willemse.
“He’s a magician and one of the best in the world when it comes to making plays.
“We just have to ask the boys in front to put a lot of pressure on him, maybe give us a skewed kick or open up opportunity for a charge down or something like that.”
Russell established a reputation as one of the world’s best fly-halves after a series of star performances for Scotland and Racing that have lit up the Six Nations, Top 14 and Champions Cup in recent years.
And the Springboks staff and players have been poring over footage to work out how to counter his threat.
“We did a lot of analysis, when the game comes we will see where we can counter him,” Willemse added.
“But he’s a great player and we know he can pull anything out of the hat.
“We have to keep our heads up, make sure we stay in the game and probably not give him that amount of time that he wants on the ball.
“In terms of the other two wingers we had a good chat about what we’re going to do.”
