The Springboks will face a formidable challenge when they take on world number five Scotland in their second Nations Championship encounter at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, with assistant coach Mzwandile Stick and captain Pieter-Steph du Toit warning against underestimating the visitors.

The match, which kicks off at 17:40 and will be broadcast live on SuperSport, carries added significance as it marks head coach Rassie Erasmus’s 55th Test in charge, making him the most capped Springbok head coach of all time.

Both Stick and Du Toit praised Erasmus ahead of the milestone, with the assistant coach describing him as a coach who genuinely cares about South Africans.

“You can’t ask for a better man than Rassie. We are very proud of what he’s achieved, not just for us, but for the country,” said Stick. “Reaching this milestone of becoming the most capped head coach for the Springboks is very special. It’s also great that his family is around to celebrate with him this week, so I’m happy for him, and hopefully we can make Saturday special.”

Du Toit, who captained the Boks in Erasmus’s first Test as head coach back in 2018, echoed those sentiments.

“I’ll always remember the excitement since the day I met Rassie. He always comes up with a plan and gives us the opportunity to build on it, and to find something that could give us an edge,” said Du Toit.

However, the focus quickly turned to the challenge Scotland poses. Stick highlighted the visitors’ dangerous backline and physical loose trio, singling out flyhalf Finn Russell as one of the best playmakers in world rugby.

“They’ve got a very skilful backline, and a physical loose trio, who are focused on generating momentum. Finn Russell is one of the best playmakers in the world, and their centres are excellent too,” said Stick.

He also noted that Scotland wing Kyle Steyn, a South African-born player, would bring valuable insight into the Springbok DNA.

“They’ll try to keep the ball in play and challenge us in the wider spaces,” added Stick.

Scotland have named an experienced matchday squad compared to a relatively inexperienced Springbok selection, but both Stick and Du Toit viewed this as an exciting opportunity rather than a concern.

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“First and foremost, we have belief in these players. All of them have performed well for their franchises and deserve to be rewarded,” said Stick. “We always want to build squad depth, so we’re not a team that relies on just one group.”

Du Toit, who will play in his 97th Test and is the most experienced player in the match-23, said the youthful energy in the squad excited him.

“I remember being one of the younger guys myself, with that same excitement. When you play for the Springboks at Loftus, you’ve got so much energy, and you want to prove a point, and a guy who wants to do that can be dangerous because he’ll do anything for the team,” said the 32-year-old.

On leading the side, Du Toit said he had learned from regular captain Siya Kolisi and previous leaders.

“We’ve got a good system, and it guides us wherever we go. Personally, I’ve been here for a couple of years now, and I’ve learned from Siya and the other captains before me, so there’s nothing extra expected of me. It’s just about doing what is expected on the field and leading by example,” he said.

A limited number of tickets remain available for Saturday’s encounter in Pretoria.

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