Arizona Tribune - Springboks skipper Kolisi wary of England's 'gifted' Smith

The Springboks have made a whopping 12 changes to the team that started their convincing 32-15 win over Scotland at Murrayfield last weekend, outscoring the Scots four tries to nil.

England, by contrast, are on a run of four straight defeats after an agonising 42-37 loss to Australia -- the latest of several last-gasp reverses.

Smith, however, shone against the Wallabies, with the 25-year-old instigating four of England's five tries as he pierced the defensive line with penetrating grubber-kicks and also showed his class with ball in hand.

"He is amazing, you can't deny that," Kolisi said of Smith n Friday. "The thing about us is we give credit where credit is due and he can play rugby.

"I played against him in the European Cup and he is one of those gifted people who can do something when there is nothing happening."

"He is young and if you stop him he is going to keep on coming back and that is what you want," explained Kolisi, who shares the same management company as the rising England star.

South Africa backs coach Mzwandile Stick hopes the Springboks will benefit from the knowledge of defence chief Jerry Flannery and centre Andre Esterhuizen, who were previously both with Smith at London club Harlequins.

"They know his strengths and his weaknesses," said Stick.

"He (Smith) can challenge you with his kicking game and if you give him time and space to breathe he will punish you. We know he is a world class fly-half."

- 'Target on our backs' -

The last time the teams met, South Africa edged England 16-15 in the 2023 World Cup semi-finals in France. The Springboks previously overwhelmed the Red Rose 32-12 in the 2019 final in Japan.

Back-to-back World Cup-winning captain Kolisi was asked if matches against England now felt more "personal" after last year's stormy encounter in Paris.

"It's always personal.... It's another man trying to run through you in a game, it doesn't get more personal than that."

"We know what they (England) have been going through," added the 33-year-old, a veteran of 90 Tests. "We know we've got a target on our back at all times."

But Kolisi, back leading the team after coming off the bench at Murrayfield, insisted his motivation came from within.

"We don't play every week, our team is changing so every time I get this jersey I want to fight as hard as I can so it's difficult for coach Rassie (Erasmus) not to pick me," he said.

"If your motivation is going to come out of somebody else, it's going to go like this (up and down). We know what we're about.

"My biggest competition is the guys in the team, it's Kwagga (Smith), it's Marco van Staden. These are the guys who push me every single time."

L.Adams--AT