Boks will be ready, declares Gold

SOUTH AFRICA assistant coach Gary Gold insists there is no danger the Springboks will go into tomorrow’s first Test against the British and Irish Lions under-prepared.

There has been much debate in recent weeks that the Boks’ lack of match practice could put them at a disadvantage against a Lions squad with the benefit of playing six matches in the lead up to the first Test.

But Gold insisted: “This time last year we came together before we played Wales after finishing the Vodacom Super 14 and we didn’t have Super 14 champions in our team at the time – now we do. Most of the guys have played 13 gruelling weeks of Super 14 and some have played 15 weeks. I don’t think we are short of game time at all,” he said.

“It is interesting that this underdone tag is being thrown around about us when 12 months ago Wales came here and told us how tired they were after having a very long season back home.

“The guys are raring to go. We have the benefit of the guys knowing each other and combinations that are established. By and large the guys know each other very well and I don’t believe that from a rugby playing point of view we are underdone.

“I would much rather be in the position where we are now than if we played three or four games and picked up three or four key injuries,” he said.

Gold added that victory in the first Test would provide a massive boost for the winner and put pressure on the losing team.

“Whoever wins the first Test only needs to win 50% of the next two games, but whoever loses needs to win 100% of the next two games. It does put a lot of pressure on but it obviously isn’t a must win game because you’ve still got two games to go,” he said.

“However, it will stack the odds very strongly in your favour if you are able to go to the Highveld with a win.”

Vice-Captain Victor Matfield was asked about the battle with Lions captain Paul O’Connell, who is his direct opponent.

“In the lineouts we will come up one-on-one against each other so I need to have a look at the footage to see what he likes to do. But that is about it, in open play we will be more focused on our own structures and what we want to do,” Matfield said.

“Paul O’Connell has been outstanding for the past five or six years for Ireland and is a top class player.”

Springbok kicking coach Percy Montgomery has confirmed flyhalf Ruan Pienaar and fullback Frans Steyn will be entrusted with the kicking duties. “Ruan will take the short-range kicks and Frans will look after the long-range kicks,” said Montgomery.