Wed, Jul 06, 2005 - Page 19 News List

Massive forwards gear up for Mandela Cup

BEEFCAKE South African coach Jake White picked a forward pack for Saturday's match against the Wallabies that weigh in at 919kg and includes gigantic veteran Os du Randt

AFP , SYDNEY

South Africa on Monday announced a massive forward pack for their opening Mandela Cup game against the Wallabies in Sydney on Saturday, with giant prop Os du Randt and second-rower Bakkies Botha returning from injury.

Their inclusion has the South Africa pack tipping the scales at 919kg, about 36kg heavier than the forwards used by Australia in last Saturday's 37-31 win over France in Brisbane.

Coach Jake White said it was the largest pack he had used during his stint in charge of the national team and veteran Du Randt warned that the Wallabies faced a stern test in the scrum at the Olympic Stadium.

"This must be the biggest pack that we have had [during my time in charge]," said White who was delighted to be able to name his best team.

"And I would be surprised if this was not one of the biggest packs of forwards South African rugby has ever had," he said.

White suggested the Wallabies didn't like scrums and mauls.

"Australia, they use what they have, they have exciting backs and play quickly from second and third phase," he told reporters.

"They have a flyhalf who runs directly and a scrumhalf who is probably the quickest passer of the ball from second, third and fourth phase so they have adapted their game according to the strengths they have," he said.

"They don't particularly like scrumming, they don't particularly like mauling, so they have adapted their game according to their strengths," he was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press.

The hulking Du Randt, who is 190cm and 125kg, smiled broadly and said it reminded him of the powerful Springbok pack which won the 1995 World Cup on home soil.

"Yeah, definitely one of the heaviest ones but we were quite heavy in 1995 to 1996," said the World Cup winner and South Africa's most-capped prop.

While White preaches a more dynamic style than the traditional 10-man game played by South African sides, he knows the Springboks' strength remains in a powerful pack.

"You have to play to what you have in your country and when I say that our strength is we like to play directly," he said after being asked if the South Africans would try to bludgeon the Australians.

"And we like to take people on within the laws and if you have that as an asset and as a skill you have to maintain it," he said.

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has rated South Africa as having the most confrontational forward pack in world rugby.

"South Africa is a completely different kettle of fish to every other Test-playing nation, so we have to play well against South Africa," Jones said on Sunday before the Wallabies' training camp.

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