Springbok prop Trevor Nyakane was raring to go in his first Test this season after being named among the replacements for Saturday’s closing Castle Lager Rugby Championship clash against Argentina in Johannesburg.
Nyakane braced himself for a gruelling forward battle against the physical Argentineans, but he was determined to grab the opportunity with both hands as the announcement of the Rugby World Cup squad draws nearer on Tuesday, 8 August.
“It’s been a while since I’ve worn the jersey, so I’m very excited,” said Nyakane.
“It’s going to be a tough challenge and given the competition in this environment, we know as individuals we have to bring our best all the time and use the opportunity.”
Nyakane added: “It’s going to be a tough game. Argentina are physical in the scrums, mauls and lineouts, so we have to man up. But I’m excited to go out there and express myself.”
Commenting on the threat the visitors’ pack posed, Nyakane said: “It’s always a big challenge against Argentina. They’ve come a long way from being a team that just wants to be physical. They are big on their lineouts and scrums, and if one is not alert, they can put you under pressure.
“No matter how much one dominates, they never go away. They are very forward-orientated, and they like to go to dark places where other teams don’t necessarily go.”