SA Women's coach Swys de Bruin is preparing for a Test match against Spain on this weekend. Photo: Henk Kruger Independent Media
Image: Henk Kruger Independent Media
There may have been more than a nod to the military precision expected from his Springbok Women's squad that arrived in Alicante, Spain, from France on Sunday, when performance coach Swys de Bruin announced that “Operation Spain” is now officially under way.
The Springbok Women had a productive first training session yesterday for the weekend’s Test, to be played at Campo de Rugby Amorós Palao in nearby Elche on Saturday.
De Bruin was happy with the energy and clarity at the team’s first hit-out, and said it bodes well for the expected South African effort.
“You could feel the buzz at breakfast already this morning, everyone is keen to go, and the players are clearly excited for this week,” said De Bruin on Monday.
“Since we arrived and started with our team meetings and now training, all the focus is on Spain and their strengths and weaknesses. We left what happened in Marcoussis – good as it was – behind in France and came to Spain with this Test match in mind.”
He was referring to Saturday's commanding 50-17 victory over an England age-group side in Marcoussis, France.
The Springbok Women and Spain have played each other five times in the past three years and although De Bruin recognised the fact that they are aware of each other’s game plans, some things will have changed.
South Africa won the last encounter, at DHL Stadium in Cape Town in September last year, 36-19. That win was set up by a dominant display from the Bok forwards. However, De Bruin is refusing to read too much into previous results.
“Conditions will be different, the venue will be different, and players change, so the main focus for us on Saturday will be effort and execution,” he said.
“They had some additions to their squad since we last played, so we are expecting some changes from their side, but then, we are also looking for improvement and tweaks in certain areas. One thing that I have learned in Test rugby is that the previous game does not really count for the next one.
“We are quite close to each other on the world ranking as well, so it will come down to the team that execute the best on the day.”
De Bruin wanted urgency in the training sessions as he believed it would give them the edge: “We need to make sure we get the 50/50s going our way. The girls want to go out and play and if we can do that in a clinical way, we will all be smiling at the end of the match.
“It will be a new match with fresh challenges. Like our players, the Spain team will also play to cement their positions in their Rugby World Cup squad for later this year, so this match will have its own merits.”
The South Africans have been grouped alongside France, Italy and Brazil in Pool D at the showpiece in England in August and September.