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Dragons awaken fire in Bok Malherbe and fellow props

SA meet Wales in the deciding Test

Athenkosi Tsotsi Sports Reporter
Bongi Mbonambi during the South African men's national rugby team training session at Hermanus High School on July 12, 2022 in Hermanus.
Bongi Mbonambi during the South African men's national rugby team training session at Hermanus High School on July 12, 2022 in Hermanus.
Image: Ashley Vlotman

Springboks prop Frans Malherbe has emphasised that they will have to be clinical in the scrum battle when they meet Wales on Saturday at Cape Town Stadium (5.05pm).

The Springboks front row will see the familiar faces – Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane and Bongi Mbonambi – return to the starting lineup after they had been separated last weekend. Only Nyakane started in the  13-12 defeat to Wales in the second Test in Bloemfontein. 

Nyakane scrummed with Thomas du Toit and Joseph Dweba; although they had a fair game, their combination did not work out well and they couldn't make a meaningful contribution with penalty feeds.

Going to the decider as the series is tied at 1-1, the Boks brain trust wants to see the Welsh front row taken to some dark places, hence they called upon the front row of Malherbe, Nyakane and Mbonambi.

Malherbe is aware that the unit deployed in the last Test had its shortfalls and wants them to be rectified on Saturday. "Discipline is massive for us," said Malherbe. 

"There's a new ruling about the handbrake for the hooker, I think we got it wrong twice and also where they said we scrummed early. On the brake foot, it's something we have to clarify. 

"It's our responsibility to clarify that and have a plan going to the weekend. It's our responsibility to be clinical and be the best we can be on the weekend," he said. 

The Springboks find themselves being tested to the limits by Wales, who have had answers for everything that the Boks have thrown at them so far. Judging from the reaction from Boks camp, the Dragon may have awakened something in the world champions as they see Saturday's game as a final. 

"The situation we are in is our reality," said Malherbe. 

"We are one squad, the result we got [in Bloemfontein] was not what we wanted; it's our responsibility to rectify that. It's going to be a final because it's the final of the series," said the World Cup winner.

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