Your rugby morning headlines for Saturday, July 16.
Springboks work to nullify Wales trio
South Africa captain Siya Kolisi has identified the three Wales players who have been causing them significant problems at the crucial breakdown area.
Wales have dominated the kicking battle in the first two tests and have then done a superb job in both turning over and slowing down Springboks ball. That effort has been led by new boy Tommy Reffell, who has proved a revelation on tour.
Kolisi said: “He played well in the last game. He got man of the match and he got two breakdown steals as well. It’s not only the steals but he’s also slowing the ball down. That’s one of the areas we’ve worked hard on this week. Not specifically for him but just in general. Will Rowlands will slow down the ball, their hooker [Ryan Elias] gets in there a bit as well.
"They’ve stepped up their breakdown game but it’s not only poaching, it’s making sure the ball is slow. We’ve worked on that this week.”
Biggar - no one's laughing now
Dan Biggar says Wales are relishing the opportunity to silence their critics and create history in South Africa this weekend.
Wales head into Saturday's third Test with the chance to seal a sensational series win, an objective many would have considered almost unthinkable after a desperately disappointing Six Nations campaign.
It's a reality that isn't lost on Biggar.
"It’s a great opportunity for us to win a series here," he said. "If we’d said that before we flew, we’d have been laughed out of town.
‘It would be brilliant to get a full reward. This is our last week of the season so we can give it everything. Hopefully we can enjoy a good break with some positive memories of this trip.
"It’s going to come down to small margins again. It’s about being disciplined and putting in an 80-minute performance. ‘We’ve been really good in the first two Tests. We haven’t given the Springboks too many cheap points or cheap entries. If we are as clinical as we have been over the last two weeks, we are in there with a shout."
Springboks respond to White
The Springboks have fired back at former World Cup-winning head coach Jake White.
Now in charge of the Bulls, White recently penned a column for RugbyPass criticising Jacques Nienaber's selection for the second Test in the Wales series. There were 14 changes to the side as Nienaber used the Test to experiment with his wider squad and Wales won it 13-12.
White wrote: "The job of a national coach is to win Test matches. National coaches shouldn’t use Tests to see if players are good enough, that's what A-sides or training is for. I don’t know if Nienaber picked that team on his own, he may have discussed it with Rassie and others but you’re not a national coach to learn lessons.
"You learn that at age-grade or club level – I mean that sincerely – there’s a reason people go through a system to become national coach."
Riled by the comments, current Bok assistant Mzwandile Stick fired back: "What I was disappointed with was that someone who was in the same position as Coach Nienaber. He [White] also used to rotate the teams.
"He also used to give people opportunities and that's part of life. If you are not going to test these players now, when are you going to test them? For him to have a comment in public like that is disappointing, for someone that I looked up to.
"I've followed him when he was coaching the Springboks and I've enjoyed what he has done for South African rugby. To go and win the World Cup is very special for our country.
"But, for me, it's disappointing to have someone of his age and experience go in public and comment like that."
George's warning for England
Jamie George has warned England to be ready for a “hurt animal” Australia when ahead of their series decider.
After a disappointing first Test defeat, Eddie Jones' men took the three-match series all the way with a 25-17 win in Brisbane.
And George fully expects the Wallabies to come out fighting when the two sides meet again at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
“You almost don’t need to talk about the reaction from them. It’s pretty obvious. If the other team go 17-0 up then what are you going to talk about? Starting better. It doesn’t take a genius to work that out,” he said.
“We know they’re going to take it up a notch, but we almost want that in a way because when teams ramp it up a bit we tend to step up too. Fingers crossed.
“It’s about knowing that you need to be at your best. We know (head coach) Dave Rennie and (captain) Michael Hooper are going to be pumping those guys up, making sure they come out firing. Steam coming out of their ears. No problem.
“We need to be aware that they’re a hurt animal. We experienced a loss in the first Test and we know how it feels. We know the reaction it invokes, so we don’t worry ourselves too much with that.
“We know that’s going to be the case so how do we make sure we come up with the same start, if not better?”
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