Five Boks will be ready when they face France for first time – Kolisi

The Springbok captain also credited France's Top 14 for preparing the nation's players well for Test level. Five Springboks have been advised what to expect when they face France for the first time on Friday night, said captain Siya Kolisi. The teams meet in the fifth round of the Nations Championship in Paris (kick-off 10.10pm) with each side top of their respective hemisphere table. While Rassie Erasmus only made two changes to his team that whipped Italy 66-7 last weekend, France coach Fabien Galthie had to make a few more tweaks after their 54-17 win over Fiji. One change sees captain Antoine Dupont moving from scrumhalf to flyhalf, where he hasn’t played for two years. Maxime Lucu will play scrumhalf. Springboks’ first outing against France Among the Springboks, Ethan Hooker and Morné van den Berg in the starting XV, and Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Cameron Hanekom and Paul de Villiers on the bench, haven’t faced France before. Hooker and De Villiers are the youngest players in the team, both aged 23. Kolisi said there were mainly two issues they needed a word about: the atmosphere in a French game, and the physicality of their opponents. “I remember playing last year and the crowd… the French people love their rugby, just as South Africans do, and they get behind their team.” The Bok captain said once players passed the hype and ceremony before kick-off, they could focus on the game and would be fine. They could block out the passionate crowd. “They will experience the atmosphere, and it’s beautiful. The way the French do the game experience it’s honestly one of the best I’ve ever seen. It’s something to feel and enjoy, but once the whistle goes, it’s game time.” ‘Our standards, that’s all we can ask for’ Kolisi said France pride themselves on the set-piece and getting over the advantage line, just as the Springboks do. “So we don’t have to prepare them for that. They know exactly what’s required. Our standards, that’s all we can ask for. I think they will be fine.” When asked whether the physicality of France’s Top 14 put them at a disadvantage because of the demands on players, the Springbok captain said neither nation’s domestic competition gave them an advantage over the other. Kolisi, who played for Racing 92 for one season, said, “We play all year round. The rugby in France is hard, it is very physical, and we also have our derbies in South Africa which are the same… “I think the way they play, the physicality, is good for international rugby. It’s a big bonus because that’s what’s required.” He said the focus on set-piece dominance and exploiting broken play helped French players prepare for when they reach Test level.