1
The Toulouse utility forward helping Springboks crack 'European style'
By Warren Fortune
Springbok utility forward Rynhardt Elstadt has opened up about his heavy workload in training ahead of the first Test against the British and Irish Lions on Saturday.
Elstadt will be paying off the bench and he will be covering the back row and second row positions for the Springboks.
“Whatever is being expected from me I will fulfil my role as best as I can,” said Elstadt. “For the moment I will probably be fulfilling Pieter-Steph or Siya’s [Kolisi] role, but with my versatility, I could even move to the locks if there is any problem out there.”
He added: “I think I’ve got the most workload of everyone out there [in training].
“I need to know some of the lock stuff, and I need to know the loose forwards’ work roles as well.
“We do combine it by working in pairs together so that the one always knows the other one’s role.
“It makes it a bit easier, but being the forward coming off the bench you put in a lot more work than the guy starting.”
Elstadt’s experience of playing in Europe could help the Boks on Saturday.
The 31-year-old plays for French club Toulouse.
“My experience in Europe makes a big difference as we play a different structure over there,” said the forward.
“In the match [South Africa ‘A’ team against the British & Irish Lions] we played last Wednesday, we could see the European style coming though and I think we managed to work on a few things that we are going to expect from them.”
SPRINGBOKS (vs Lions, Saturday)
15 – Willie le Roux (Toyota Verblitz)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Toulouse)
13 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks)
12 – Damian de Allende (Munster)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks)
10 – Handré Pollard (vice-captain – Montpellier)
9 – Faf de Klerk (Sale Sharks)
8 – Kwagga Smith (Yamaha Júbilo)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain – Cell C Sharks)
5 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Toulon)
3 – Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (DHL Stormers)
1 – Ox Nché (Cell C Sharks)
Replacements:
16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears)
17 – Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers)
18 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers)
19 – Lood de Jager (Sale Sharks)
20 – Rynhardt Elstadt (Toulouse)
21 – Herschel Jantjies (DHL Stormers)
22 – Elton Jantjies (Pau)
23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers)
Trending on RugbyPass
2
Ex-Ireland wing brands Six Nations champs 'not that good'
3
Hacjivah Dayimani exits SA following Springbok snub
4
Saracens statement: The outcome of Billy Vunipola investigation
5
Latest Comments
So if this ain’t the best Irish team ever then who exactly is? I don’t remember any other Irish team being this good & winning a series in the Land of the Long White Cloud. Yes I may rip them often for 8 X QF RWC exits & twice not even making it to the QF, but they’re a damn good team who many think can only improve, including me!
Go to commentsNot a squeek out of Leinster for weeks about this match. So quiet. The first team have been quitely building for this encounter under Nienaber’s direction. All fresh, all highly motivated. They are expecting a season’s best performance from Northhampton. They will match that. They will be fresher and apparently they will have 80,000 out of the 83,000 shouting for them. I do expect Northhampton to turn up big time. Not to be missed. On a tangent it is evident how the loss of a few Premiership teams has in some respect helped other Premiership teams and England. More quality over less teams makes the teams better, which has a knock on effect on England. Not the only factor contributing to England’s rise but one of them.
Go to comments