Kitshoff reveals Bok ‘week from hell’ ahead of All Blacks Tests
· Citizen
Steven Kitshoff has revealed the brutal preparation that has gone into getting the Springbok squad ready for the first Test against the All Blacks at Ellis Park on Saturday (5.10pm).
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With much of the squad travelling to Argentina two weeks ago, a group of players remained in South Africa to prepare for the series opener. According to Kitshoff, they were not left twiddling their thumbs.
Instead, they were put through intense live rugby sessions designed to ensure they would be match-ready when the All Blacks arrived.
“For the 15, 16 players staying behind, they would run live drills, live scrummaging, tackling drills, live scenario drills for 40 to 45 minutes – maybe once or twice a week,” the former Bok prop said on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“So they actually get that conditioning side built into the session without just running broncos the whole time. They actually do the rugby work, so the guys are quite geared.”
The intensity of that preparation was underlined by Malcolm Marx, according to the 83-Test Bok veteran.
Kitshoff said he had spoken briefly to the experienced hooker, with Marx revealing just how hard the players left behind had been pushed.
“I had a quick conversation with Malcolm when I arrived in Joburg and he said this week has probably been the week from hell,” Kitshoff said.
“Having most of the guys in Argentina, the guys who were left behind basically just got flogged for five days in a row. So the guys were working hard. They did a lot of live stuff to make sure they’re game ready when the Test matches start.”
This story first appeared on sarugbymag.co.za. It is republished here with permission.