Ralapelle: New boys have much to learn

South Africa captain Chiliboy Ralepelle admits the team’s new players will have to learn the harsh lessons of international tours after their humbling by Guinness Premiership champions Leicester.

The world champions and Tri-Nations winners were beaten 22-17 by a motivated Tigers XV spurred on by a record 24,000 attendance at Welford Road, swelled by the official opening of the new 10,000-seater Caterpillar Stand.

The Springboks used their first warm-up match ahead of autumn Tests against France, Italy and Ireland to field all nine of the uncapped players in their 37-man touring party.

But their experiment backfired when Lucas Amorosino weaved through for the game’s crucial try, just seven minutes after Ralepelle had limped off with a recurrence of an ankle injury.

“It can’t get worse from here,” said Ralepelle. “It’s a challenge for our youngsters as it was very new to play in these conditions.

“They have to learn that when you play away from home it’s never easy. Leicester came at us very hard and were much more prepared than we were, I believe.

“We always knew the Leicester pack were going to be tough up front. They pride themselves on that in club rugby. But we let ourselves down in that department. I’m part of the pack so I include myself in that.

“One of the biggest disappointments for me is that we were all waiting for one man to create some magic.

“At this level you can’t wait for someone to do that. If you can’t do it yourself it’s best that you sit at home.”

Only Odwa Ndungane remained from the full-strength Springbok side that beat New Zealand in the final Tri-Nations match in September, and many of these fresh faces may start against France in another foreboding venue in Toulouse next Friday.

But assistant coach Dick Muir did not accept the defeat could raise questions about those on the fringes of international selection.

“We know we have a lot of depth in South African rugby,” said the former Springbok centre. “We’re a proud nation and sometimes you learn a little bit more from a loss than a win.

“If anything, there’s probably a greater appreciation for what the Premiership has to offer. It was interesting to see some Kiwis (Leicester captain Aaron Mauger) singing the English anthem.

“Whenever you lose your captain you lose your way a bit, but our front row will have to take a long look at themselves.”

Leicester’s victory was all the more remarkable given the absence of five England players, and eight more through injury and unavailability.

Mauger, shuffled to fly-half to accommodate a teenage centre pairing in Manu Tuilagi and Andy Forsyth, agreed with Muir that Leicester’s ferocious performance was vindication of the quality of the Guinness Premiership.

The veteran All Black was unimpressed by recent comments from compatriot Warren Gatland, now Wales head coach, that this season’s Premiership was “the weakest he had ever seen since he came to the northern hemisphere”.

Mauger said: “We don’t really agree with some of the comments being put around about the Premiership being a weak competition. It’s tough, week in, week out. Even Leeds and Worcester can beat anyone.

“We’ve always had a strong system with Academy players coming through to the senior ranks, and we had a full mix of that.

“The centres were awesome. Manu was always going to bring that physicality to the game but he and Andrew were very composed during the game.

“All the guys kept talking to them and got them through. They both have big futures in the game.”