Centre Mike Tindall expects ferocious Test match against the Springboks
Centre Mike Tindall is expecting a tough, physical Test match, as England prepare to take on South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday 27 November.
England won their last Test match against Samoa 26-13 last Saturday and they also thrashed Australia 35-18 in the Autumn Internationals.
There is a wave of optimism surrounding English rugby due to the team’s recent displays, but Tindall, who first played against the Springboks in 2000 is expecting a backlash from South Africa, after they
were heavily criticised for their efforts after they lost their last match to Scotland 21-17.
Tindall who has experienced playing the Springboks for the past decade is expecting the Test to be extremely physical. Speaking of his experience of playing South Africa, Tindall told reporters, "They
always hurt. There is always a lot of physicality and normally a bit of claret flying around. It will be the same tomorrow. You never come off without a few aches and pains—we have just got to man up and take it."
South Africa will be hoping to salvage something from their tour and a win against an impressive England would give a depleted Springbok side a huge amount of confidence and relieve the mounting pressure,
as they prepare for next year’s World Cup.
Tindall is expecting the South Africans to take the game to England and to show a much higher level of intensity and physicality than they did against Scotland. "South Africa will be gutted they lost to
Scotland last week and they will want to come out and give us a good kicking and we have to be prepared for that,” said Tindall.
The centre will relish his tussle with centre Jean de Villiers and the match-up between the two players has been highlighted as one of the many key battles that will take place on the pitch.
A ferocious Test match is expected as both teams will be desperate to win. For England this is a chance for the team to show they have improved dramatically, while the South African players will be eager
to show that they are not a team in rapid decline ahead of the 2011 World Cup.
Tags: