Electric revival for improved Mvovo

Lwazi Mvovo during the Incoming Tour match between South Africa and Scotland at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Photo: Steve Haag

Lwazi Mvovo during the Incoming Tour match between South Africa and Scotland at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. Photo: Steve Haag

Published Jun 30, 2014

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Cape Town - JP Pietersen made a thrilling break off a precise Handré Pollard pass against Scotland on Saturday, but then the Sharks star ran into a bit of an alley.

Pietersen had two defenders in front of him on the Scottish 22-metre line, and decided to pull off an unlikely left-footed grubber.

It looked as if the Scots had it covered, but then Lwazi Mvovo came out of nowhere with electric pace to dot down.

And just like that, Mvovo repaid the faith shown in him by Bok coach Heyneke Meyer, who admitted during the week that he had been harsh on Mvovo for a few defensive mistakes he had made in his last Test against Australia in 2012, especially under the high ball.

Later, Mvovo intercepted a pass just inside the Bok half, and there was no way the Scottish defence was going to catch him before he scored his second try.

“When we met two or three years ago, he was very happy with my finishing, but he said there are some core skills which I need to go back and work on,” said Mvovo about his discussions with Meyer.

“That’s what I did back at the Sharks. So when I came back now, he said he is very happy with that and he said that he will give me a chance again.

“I don’t think it was about me, it was about the team. So whatever chance I could get, obviously I will take it with both hands. He said that I needed to work on some aspects of my game, and I went back to the Sharks and did work on them.

“And when we met again, he was very happy about how I had progressed from the last time that I was here.”

The 28-year-old speedster felt that his stint at fullback for the Sharks in Super Rugby this year had definitely helped his overall game. He added that the more attacking Bok gameplan of recent months had given him greater scope with ball-in-hand too.

“You get more action at the back, and you get to choose when to attack. But you need to work on some core skills, because there are high bombs and everything at the back as you are the last line of defence.

“It’s been great at fullback, but also, I enjoyed myself back at wing,” he said.

“I think that was the emphasis during the week. If there is space, there’s fewer men... and we can attack. We need to just go out there and enjoy ourselves, and there would be space out wide and fewer defenders.

“So with ball-in-hand, and in space, we do enjoy that.”

Cape Argus

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