Boks need to win first test for much-needed confidence

Springbok fans will be excitedly counting down the sleeps on one hand for the first official test showdown between the mighty Springboks and the British and Irish Lions scheduled for Saturday at Cape Town Stadium at 5pm.

Avid fans have been on a roller coaster ride, after the Springboks beat Georgia in their first official game since the 2019 World Cup final, and then going on to playing as the South Africa A team against the British and Irish Lions, and taking a 17-13 win in Pretoria.

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The SA ‘A’ side looked a lot like the Springbok test side that will play over the weekend, as SA Director of Rugby Rassie Erasmus was looking for much-needed game time heading into the three test match series.

But then the SA ‘A’ team went on to losing to Jake White’s Blue Bulls over the weekend, making fans question how ready we are for the three tests.

In the meantime, Warren Gatland’s men have put on fine, dominant performances against our provincial sides, beating the Lions 56-14, the Sharks 54-7 and 71-31, and the Stormers 49-3.

With the return of original squad captain Alun Wyn Jones, following a miraculous shoulder recovery, the British and Irish Lions will be firing on all cylinders come Saturday.

Gatland’s men have had a good run of form leading into the series against the Boks, and have momentum going in.

Erasmus, on the other hand, has three games under the belt, of which one he lost to a provincial franchise.

Bok fans will pray that Rassie will produce a master plan like he did in 2019, and that all players will be fit and available for selection, to up the odds of a first test victory.

Things will definitely get interesting as Gatland and Erasmus go head-to-head on Saturday, as statistics show that Gatland has a poor record against the Boks. But it all depends on the bounce of the ball on the day.