Five Springboks England must hunt down to win in South Africa

Stuart Lancaster’s young England squad faces a daunting task of taking on the Springboks in their own back yard. Many argue that the South African squad is not as imposing as it used to be, however, there are some crucial players in the team who can cause problems all over the pitch. From wingers who can outpace cheetahs, to front-row forwards who can bench press a rhino, England have to be wary of the talent that South Africa has at its disposal. Here are five key players to watch out for in the summer test series:

Jean De Villiers the highly experienced centre (pictured above) has been awarded the honour of captaining his national side for the series against England. The Paarl born centre has been a key player in South African rugby since his debut in November 2002 against France. Since then, he has amassed 72 caps, making him one of veterans in the squad. De Villiers is a hard-hitting centre, yet he has showed great technical ability in unlocking defences as he has run in 19 tries. It will be a real test for Manu Tuilagi and Brad Barritt to come up against one of the best centres in World Rugby. De Villiers has the offloading ability to release South Africa’s quick back-three and the strength to punch holes in England’s defence.  

Frans Steyn has been one of South Africa’s most consistent players, he also became the youngest ever player to win a World Cup in 2007. Steyn has recently re-signed with the Sharks after a stint with Racing Metro in France. The Springboks have won just under 75% of the games in which he has featured. The 25 year old is known for his mammoth boot off the tee, this could prove a problem for England’s forwards who give away plenty of penalties. Even from within his own half, he will have a go at the posts, also, look out for him trying to smash over a drop-goal from 55 metres, he has done it at altitude for club and country on a regular basis.  The Bloemfontein born utility player should reach 50 caps during this test series, an impressive feat for a man in his mid twenties.

Steyn's huge drop goal for Racing Metro vs Clermont

Bryan Habana not much needs to be said about the speedster, his name is synonymous with try-scoring and flair. Habana will celebrate his 29^th Birthday during this series and he will be eager to add to his already ample collection of 40 tries for his country. The 2007 IRB player of the year will punish England for any stray kicks downfield with his ability to pick out forwards in a line and breeze past them. Stuart Lancaster must stress the importance to his half-backs that an accurate kicking game and a strong kick chase are vital to prevent Habana from causing havoc.

Tendai Mtawarira or (the Beast) as he is known is a classic example of a South African prop, he is a real danger in the loose and he will be a genuine threat at scrum-time for the English front-row. The 116kg powerhouse will be roared on by the crowds in South Africa and will look to replicate the success he had with the Springboks against the British and Irish Lions in 2009 in which he dominated the set-piece and helped set up the platform for a series victory. England’s scrum coach Graham Roundtree will have to ensure he selects the best scrummagers for the tests against the Springboks, any weaknesses will be found out by the gigantic front row forward.

Pierre Spies is another who excelled during the 2009 series against the British and Irish Lions; he demonstrated his raw strength and incredible speed for a man weighing a daunting 110kg. Spies has been a reliable battering ram for the Bulls and he will give South Africa a platform, his ability to get over the gain-line will test England’s back row’s defensive ability.

South African team to face England:

Z Kirchner (Bulls); JP Pietersen (Sharks), F Steyn (Sharks), J de Villiers (Stormers, capt.), B Habana (Stormers); M Steyn (Bulls), F Hougaard (Bulls); T Mtawarira (Sharks), B du Plessis (Sharks), J du Plessis (Sharks), E Etzebeth (Stormers), J Kruger (Bulls), W Alberts (Sharks), M Coetzee (Sharks), P Spies (Bulls)

Replacements: A Strauss (Cheetahs), C Oosthuizen (Cheetahs), F Van Der Merwe (Bulls), K Daniel (Sharks), R Pienaar (Ulster), P Lambie (Sharks), W Olivier (Bulls)

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