Cheslin Kolbe joined the Springboks for their first training session on Monday in Brisbane, where the South Africans are preparing for Saturday’s Rugby Championship match against the Wallabies.
Kolbe was added to the Springbok squad for the Australasian leg of the competition.
Matt Proudfoot, one of the team’s assistant coaches, said it was good to have Kolbe with the team and that a big part of the Boks’ focus for this week will be their consistency and execution of opportunities.
“We are excited to have Cheslin in the side; I think he deserves his chance in the group because I think he has really performed well (in France for Toulouse),” said Proudfoot.
“I obviously know him well from my coaching days at the Stormers, and he is type of player who can really create something out of nothing.”
Cheslin Kolbe in action during the Springboks’ afternoon training session in Brisbane. The former @Blitzboks star joined up with the Springbok squad on Sunday evening Down Under. #CastleLager#RugbyChampionship pic.twitter.com/ajNqsLxjmN
— South African Rugby (@Springboks) September 3, 2018
The Springboks resumed their preparations for the clash against Australia with some technical sessions at their Brisbane hotel, before heading to the Churchie Grammar School for a field session in the late afternoon.
“We felt we played really well in Durban and let ourselves down in Argentina with our execution, so we are looking for the same consistency and to play with the same level of physicality like in Durban,” said Proudfoot.
“Our execution, whether at breakdown or from set piece, needs to improve across the board.”
Proudfoot added that the Boks know what to expect from the Wallabies: “They will be determine to bounce back and will no doubt be in our faces, so we need to prepare with the same intensity that we can expect from them on Saturday.
“We are in fact two teams looking to bounce back, so I think this game is going to be crucial for both sides, to see how each one responds.
“It will be a tight game played on the advantage line by two sides who will be looking to get on the front foot.”
Rassie Erasmus, SA Rugby’s Director of Rugby, will announce his starting team on Thursday.
