Springboks prepare for Welsh arm wrestle

The team touched down in Cardiff on Sunday evening and immediately got down to business on Monday with a series of team meetings, as well as a gym and field training session.

With Wales having recorded an encouraging home victory and narrow away defeat against England in their last two matches - and the hosts entering the match with a good track record in Cardiff against the Springboks in the last few years - Human and Kleyn were realistic about the challenge that awaited them.

"It's going to be an arm-wrestle of a match," said Human.

"They won four of their last five matches against us in Wales and they'll use that as motivation. In the 2019 World Cup semi-final we got a last-minute penalty to beat them, so we know what we are in for.

"They are well coached, they can take you to the gutters, and they come off a tough training camp, so we need to perform well if we want the result."

"From our perspective, we'd like to be more effective within our systems and the way we do things, and that™s our focus this week, rather than the World Cup."

Kleyn, who has faced some of the Welsh players before in the United Rugby Championship, expected an equally testing encounter.

"They have good individual players and when you bring them all together under a coach like Warren Gatland, they form a quality team," said Kleyn.

"They come off a good win at home against England and a tight away defeat, so we are impressed by them and we know we are in for a tough outing."

Kleyn shot down suggestions that this clash was merely a preparation match for the World Cup and said: "As players we don't look at any match as a warm-up game. For us every weekend is the biggest match of your life because you are representing your country."

With Springbok head coach Jacques Nienaber set to name his 23-man squad for the clash on Tuesday, Human hinted that the coaches planned to switch their focus to building combinations as they gear up for the global showpiece which kicks off on Friday 8 September in France.

"In the last few matches, we tried to be fair to everyone to give them a chance to put up their hands for the Rugby World Cup squad, but we'll probably start settling combinations," said Human.

Kleyn said his selection for the World Cup squad - after featuring in the 2019 spectacle for Ireland - was an opportunity he cherished.

"It didn't even cross my mind that I could play in this World Cup," said Kleyn.

"I incidentally told a friend a while ago that I was finished with international rugby, as that was the reality then, and I had accepted it.

"I didn't think that there were prospects of playing for the Springboks, so when I received the call from Rassie (Erasmus - SA Rugby Director of Rugby), it was an opportunity I certainly didn't plan to turn down.

"I'm proud to be representing the national team and to be part of something so special."

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