Coetzee to awaken the beast in Mtawarira

Tendai Mtawarira has faced some of the world's toughest scrummagers and has more than held his own for the bulk of his 75 Test career for the Springboks. Photo by: Nico Bothma/EPA

Tendai Mtawarira has faced some of the world's toughest scrummagers and has more than held his own for the bulk of his 75 Test career for the Springboks. Photo by: Nico Bothma/EPA

Published Jun 2, 2016

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Cape Town – Tendai Mtawarira has faced some of the world’s toughest scrummagers and has more than held his own for the bulk of his 75 Test career for the Springboks.

But the veteran loosehead prop will be facing a tough internal battle over the next few weeks when Steven Kitshoff arrives in South Africa on Sunday to try and wrestle the No 1 jersey out of grasp of ‘The Beast’ for the upcoming Test series against Ireland.

Kitshoff, a favourite of new coach Allister Coetzee, and the other loosehead in the squad, Trevor Nyakane, are viewed as future stars in the green and gold. The 30-year-old Mtawarira, though, has welcomed the rivalry.

“Competition is always great, there has obviously been a lot of competition over the last couple of years with me and Trevor,” the Beast said.

“It’s not about trying to bring the other guy down, it’s what’s best for the team. You always get to learn a lot from each other ... It’s all about backing each other, and I’m happy to see (Kitshoff) coming back into the fold. We can feed off each other.”

While the Sharks prop has new competition for his jersey, the Boks also have a new scrum guru in Matthew Proudfoot, who played a key role in Kitshoff’s development as a player when they were both at the Stormers.

“I have found him to be very positive. He brings a wealth of experience and he has done very well in the past,” Mtawarira said of Proudfoot.

“I have always had huge respect for him. Every time we have played against the Stormers, I always try and ask him a question or two and see the way he thinks. Having him here is also going to bring a new dimension to our scrumming.”

Coetzee is the third Bok coach the Zimbabwean-born prop is going to serve under after Peter de Villiers handed him his debut in 2008.

He would probably attest to the fact that De Villiers, Heyneke Meyer and Coetzee are very different people.

Nevertheless, Mtwarira is quite excited to work under Coetzee, especially after the new Bok boss outlined his plans to them on Monday.

“It’s very exciting, the start of a new era. In the past we have had a lot of experienced guys, but now there are new guys coming in and there is a lot of enthusiasm in the camp, to be part of the start of a new journey,” the Sharks prop said.

“I have found him to be a very relaxed kind of guy. He has a relaxed approach, and the way he thinks, is very different from the previous coach.

“He really wants us to get back to what we really love about rugby, the enjoyment factor and really getting on the field and expressing ourselves and playing a great brand of rugby that is attractive.” - The Star

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