Ex Superpsort
Springbok hooker Bismarck du Plessis says that the introduction of Argentina to southern hemisphere competition will be the breath of fresh air that is needed to break the monotony of the same players playing against one another throughout the year.
The Pumas make their Castle Rugby Championship debut against the Boks at Newlands on Saturday week and Du Plessis, who says he didn’t sleep on Tuesday night as a result of the jetlag following his trip with the Sharks to New Zealand for the Super Rugby final, is looking forward to being asked to meet a different challenge.
“For me personally it is a great thing for there to be a change in the environment,” said Du Plessis after a Bok training session in Cape Town on Wednesday.
“It will be nice to have a different team to play against, and new opponents to square up to. It will make a good change from playing against the same guys over and over for nine to 10 months of the year. I definitely think it is a big step in the right direction.
“It is great that it is the Pumas coming in as well. There is a lot of respect between us and them and also a healthy rivalry because of the strong relationship the two nations have on the rugby field. Dr Danie Craven was one of the South Africans who helped them form rugby in their country, and it is fitting that we are playing them in their first Rugby Championship match. Being part of that (historic occasion) will be great for me.”
When Du Plessis plays against the Pumas it will be the first time in a while that he is starting a game without having undertaken a debilitating long international flight across the time-zones in the week building up.
But while by the time the game kicks off he would have been back in South Africa for nearly two weeks after returning from New Zealand, he will be on his way again the next day as the Boks swop their Cape Town base with one in Mendoza, Argentina, where they play their second game of the series seven days later.
Du Plessis though seems to enjoy the extra challenge that has been presented to him just lately to try and disprove the sports scientists.
“We (the Sharks Boks) have travelled a lot lately but then travelling is what you make of it. It is up to you whether you look at it as an insurmountable mountain to climb, or whether you challenge yourself to try and go out and prove wrong all the people who say you can’t do it.”
So it goes without saying then the Sharks’ inability to overcome the travel factor in Hamilton last week was disappointing to the robust hooker. He says though that the disappointment has now been consigned to history.
“What happened last week is done. For me it is just great to be back wearing the Springbok emblem on my chest again,” he said.
“The Pumas pride themselves on their scrum and also they are very strong with their pick and go tactics at forward. So it is an interesting new challenge for us and it is one I am looking forward to.”
Good test of the scrum fanning out may also not be so adviseable comment more en to ruck etc.
Great to see the Argies on board.
