Jamie Roberts has braced Wales for “physical warfare” against South Africa at Twickenham. Roberts knows from vivid personal memory just how punishing an appointment with the Springboks can be.
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“The challenge above all else is to get the mind right and put your body on the line for physical warfare,” Wales centre Roberts said.
“I will never forget the second Lions Test at Loftus Versfeld in 2009 when there were five of us in the hospital afterwards. That was interesting.
“Adam (Jones) came off with a dislocated shoulder which took two or three hours to get back in, Gethin (Jenkins) smashed his face, (Brian) O’Driscoll got a clout on his head, I injured my wrist and ended up needing an operation on it and Tommy Bowe hurt his elbow.
“There were five of us in an ambulance after that game going to the hospital. That is what lies in store for us this weekend.
“It’s pretty gruesome, but that is the nature of the game now. You have got to be prepared to put your body on the line and take it to places where you haven’t been before.
“This week, all the players are relaxed, but ready for complete warfare, come the 80 minutes.”
Wales lost 16 successive Tests against South Africa between 2000 and 2014, but the last two meetings should provide 73 times-capped Roberts and company with cause for optimism.
Wales were beaten 31-30 by the Springboks in Nelspruit 16 months ago after conceding a late penalty try, then they avenged that result last November, winning 12-6 in Cardiff, with 10 members of that starting line-up back for more this weekend.
“Having played South Africa many times in my career, you have to match them physically before anything else,” he added.
“The way they play the game, if you lose the battle of the gain-line you are 80-90 per cent towards losing the game. They pressurise teams in defence, but their aerial game is huge. You don’t have to be a rugby connoisseur to work out how they are going to play the game.”
South Africa captain Fourie du Preez has hailed the side’s resolve after they avoided becoming the “worst Springbok team of all-time” by reaching the quarter-finals.
South Africa saw their tournament start in the worst possible fashion when they were beaten 34-32 by Japan in their opening pool match. But they bounced back to top Pool B with three straight wins.
“It was a massive shock, but it could have gone much worse,” du Preez said. “We had Samoa next, which was a very big battle for us, and then Scotland, who are on the up. We could have lost three in a row and we would have been the worst Springbok team of all-time.
“I am very proud how each member of the team and management team stood up after that. We could either lie down or stand up, and I think that we showed that we stood up, and I think tomorrow we are going to stand up again.”