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Springboks target one outcome in Wales series decider: Rectify Bloem result
It has been a tough past year for Wales, with them finishing fifth in the Six Nations, losing to Italy and sliding down the world rugby rankings.
Springbok prop Frans Malherbe says it is up to the squad to rectify their past weekend’s loss against Wales in this weekend’s finale in Cape Town. Picture: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images
The entire Springbok squad have accepted responsibility for their first ever loss against Wales in South Africa over the past weekend and want to rectify that in the series finale on Saturday, according to prop Frans Malherbe.
An experimental Bok team featuring 19 changes to their match 23 from their first Test win and with six debutants, were just edged by Wales in the second Test, making it a winners take all third Test in Cape Town this weekend.
Malherbe admitted that they don’t blame anyone for the result and take full responsibility as a squad, with them keen to get back to winning ways.
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“We are one squad. When you’re not playing it’s your responsibility to help the team that’s playing as best you can in the week. Obviously the result wasn’t the one we wanted, but as a squad it’s our responsibility to rectify that this weekend,” said Malherbe.
“The situation we are in is the reality. So it is our responsibility to be clinical and responsible this week in our prep. To be as good as we can be, going into the weekend and to treat it as a final because it is the final of the series.”
Full stadium ‘special’ for Springboks
With it having been a tough past year for Wales, with them finishing fifth in the Six Nations, losing to Italy and sliding down the world rugby rankings, they came into the series as a desperate side.
They have put in two big efforts, just being beaten in the first Test and clinching a tight win in the second and they will want to finish things off on a high with a series win over the hosts, in front of a packed partisan home support at the Cape Town stadium.
“To be honest I don’t look into the stuff outside the rugby too much. So I can’t comment on another country’s motivation or what they play for, I am not in that environment,” admitted Malherbe.
“But they are tough, they don’t go away easily and that’s why this series is so close. This is a proper series that we need to win on Saturday.
“It’s going to be very special. Loftus and Bloem were amazing. If the stadium is full this weekend it will be very special again, so we are looking forward to the match.”
