The Springboks want to improve their impressive winning record at Loftus by beating Scotland on Saturday.
Springbok utility back Canan Moodie says they will be targeting a win as they look to defend Loftus against Scotland on the weekend. Picture: Steve Haag Sports/Gallo Images
The Springboks will be aiming to improve their impressive record at their fortress, Loftus Versfeld, according to utility back Canan Moodie, when they take on Scotland in Pretoria on Saturday evening (kick-of 5:40pm).
In 42 matches at the ground, stretching back to the Boks‘ first game there in 1955, they have won 33 and lost nine times. Since rugby turned professional in 1995 they have only lost to the All Blacks at the ground, on five occasions, the most recent being in 2018.
The Boks have won their last six games at the stadium, including an impressive win over Ireland in 2024, while they were pushed hard by Italy last year before securing a comfortable result.
Nine Bulls players have also been named in the Bok match 23, including Moodie, and he admitted that they would be looking to utilise their experience of the ground and the altitude to give them the upper hand against the Scots.
“Loftus is a fortress we want to protect. It has been like that for the Bulls, but also for the Springboks, where we have good Springbok history,” said Moodie at a Springbok press conference this week.
“The altitude is real, but it is also about how you play. You want to make sure the visitors feel the altitude from the pressure you exert from your game plan.
“You want to be really confrontational and put them under pressure in whatever you do, so that they feel that the altitude does matter. They must feel at the end of the game that they have played against a South African side.”
Well prepared
Looking at the match Moodie said that they would be well prepared for whatever kicking game Scotland bring to the table, which will be marshalled by their flyhalf wizard Finn Russell.
“We’re well prepped for the high balls. They come with different tactics, but we’ve been doing this for years, so we trust our system and just clean up where we can,” explained Moodie.
“Every team has different tactics there. We’ve adjusted while staying true to what’s worked for us, and we’ll execute our plan. If it doesn’t work and they come with something different, we’ll adapt.”
Adding a bit of extra spice to the encounter is the Boks’ Bulls contingent fronting up against a large number of players from Glasgow Warriors players in the Scottish side, after their URC semifinal last month which was won by the Pretoria outfit in Edinburgh.
“A lot of their players are from the Glasgow Warriors and quite a few of our guys are Bulls, so there is recent history in the form of the URC semifinal between the teams,” admitted Moodie.
