Boks captain Matfield fired up ahead of Scotland challenge

SOUTH AFRICA captain Victor Matfield has warned his team are in vengeful mood following a torrid trip to Edinburgh ahead of their Test match against Scotland today (5pm).

Jake White’s team endured a 13-hour journey from Galway, which saw them having to fly back to Heathrow and then a 90-minute drive to their hotel outside the Scottish capital.

“It was not nice spending the Wednesday before a Test stuck in buses and airports but what happened and now nothing less than full Test match mode will be tolerated,” Matfield said yesterday. The lock agreed that the Boks had not been nearly as physical as they should have been in Galway against Connacht, but insists it will be a different story at Murrayfield.

“We cannot let Scotland sense they can get the upper hand over us in the way Connacht were allowed to in the second half.

“We have learned a harsh lesson. For us guys playing in the Test, it is fortunate to get a wake-up call via another group of players.”

Flanker Schalk Burger was also disappointed with their last performance and called on the squad to “take the fight to the Scots”.

“What we saw from our team-mates was the folly of not being committed to full physical confrontation,” he said.

“You can’t go into a game not giving 110% because you are worrying about the future. Rugby does not work that way. It is an all or nothing game. And if you play half-heartedly against an opposition that is going full tilt, that is when you get injured.”

Meanwhile Wales prop Chris Horsman has issued a passionate defence of under-fire head coach Gareth Jenkins — but he admits the time has come for Wales to put up or shut up against France tomorrow (2.45pm).

Tomorrow’s clash with France at the Millennium Stadium is the final opportunity for Wales to convince a doubting public of their World Cup credentials before the tournament kicks-off.

Wales fans have still only had four wins to cheer from the last 15 internationals.

And Horsman knows the team must now start delivering consistent results if they are to make any significant impression on the World Cup.

“I have unbelievable faith in the people that are leading me and my team-mates around me,” said Horsman.

“I think we are developing very well. We are becoming a close group of players. We know we are evolving – but ultimately we are a rugby team and we are judged on our results.”

Wales showed their ability to hang on for victory in the second half against Argentina last week as the Pumas hit back from 27-10 down and closed to within a converted try and have drawn a huge amount of encouragement from the victory.

“It was great to beat Argentina but what we need to do now as a squad is grow that consistency and it will be a hugely physical test against France.