Junior Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat said his team was excited to get going on their UK tour shortly after the team’s arrival in Edinburgh on Tuesday.
The team wasted no time getting into the swing of things, as they immediately headed to the gym for a high-intensity activation session.
Coach Chean Roux’s charges will face Scotland on Friday in their opening tour match, which will be followed by clashes against Wales in Cardiff on Tuesday May 8 and England in London on Friday May 11.
The tour forms part of the team’s preparations for the World Rugby Under-20 Championship, which will be hosted in the south of France from May 30 to June 17.
“It’s first things first after landing in the UK,” said Moerat. “We will go through our recovery processes to get over the flight and get ready for the first game.
“That said, there is a general feeling of excitement among the players, as we are all looking forward to the tour and the experience of playing in the UK.”
The captain expected a challenging tour, but he said they planned to take each match in their stride. “Each team we are facing is a quality side in their own right,” said Moerat, who is also a former SA Schools captain.
“We are facing Scotland first, so we will focus on that match for now, and take it step by step.
“In saying that, the Scottish are renowned for a good scrum and maul, so we will do our homework on all the teams we face, and hopefully it will go well.”
With all three teams participating in the World Rugby Under-20 Championship and coming off an Under-20 Six Nations campaign, Moerat said the experience of facing these sides on their home turf would be invaluable.
“Playing overseas is massive for our preparation going forward,” he said. “It will give us time to adapt to the climate and conditions, and to get a feel of the style of rugby the northern hemisphere teams’ play.
“So, hopefully we can adjust very quickly and tick the boxes that we need to.”
The team will hold their first field training session on Wednesday.
African News Agency (ANA)
Junior Springbok captain Salmaan Moerat speaks about the team's arrival in the UK and the warm-up games ahead of the World Under-20 Championship in France. Audio: SA Rugby