The Springboks are expecting a massive challenge in their round three Rugby World Cup pool encounter against Ireland at Stade de France on Saturday, but according to Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff, they are ready to give everything.
The clash between the current and No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the world was tipped as one of the biggest matchups for both teams in the pool rounds and the build-up to the match has rubberstamped this opinion.
Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff said he is raring to go in what he anticipates will be a major battle in the scrums and set pieces.
"It’s going to be a challenging game. Both sides have a lot to play for. For us, we have to make sure we perform well and keep the momentum gained during the first couple of games. Anything can happen on the night, the team that pitch up the most desperate and willing to work for those extra bits will come away victorious. It’s going to be a close game."
“They are very good in the scrums, but as forwards in this squad we are all aligned and we’ll have a full go at them, just as they will at us,” said Kitshoff.
“Tadhg is an exceptional player, good scrummager, great ball carrier, good on defence. It’s going to be a tough battle. For us to have a full go at them, we all have to be on par, our pack and the guys off the bench. In big games like this, if your set-piece doesn’t function you are on the back foot, but we have trained hard since we got together in the pre-season camps, trying to improve our scrummage, so we are looking forward to the challenge."
“We’ve been training hard from the alignment camps (earlier in the year), and we’ve been trying to improve week by week, so we are looking forward to the challenge.”