An impressive spectacle awaits fans in 2021 when the British & Irish Lions head to South Africa for their quadrennial tour, and former Springbok flank Francois Louw acknowledges that tourists will have a point to prove against the men in green and gold.
With long-time Warren Gatland leading the Lions charge into
the Republic next year, tourists are sure to be a dangerous prospect as they
set out to repeat the famous series victories of 1997 and 1974. Rugby fans can
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Gatland is no stranger to Louw, who played Wales seven times
in his Springbok career, each time with the experienced New Zealand coach at
the helm of the Red Dragons. After Wales beat the Boks for the first time in
1999, it took them another 15 years for their second win over South Africa in
2014.
Since then and including that game, where Jean de Villiers
seriously injured his knee in Cardiff, Wales' record against the Boks is four
wins in six games played in Cardiff, Washington DC, London and Tokyo. His only
two losses were in the 2015 Rugby World Cup quarter-finals and the 2019
semi-final.
Francois Louw
Louw played a pivotal role in the RWC playoff last year,
forcing a penalty that eventually led to Handré Pollard kicking the
match-winning triple in a very close match. And he believes that next year's
British & Irish Lions tour will again be a close competition.
"I think we can look forward to an exciting campaign
next year and the Lions will want to prove a point," said Louw, who
recently retired from rugby in an interview with the SA Rugby Podcast.
Warren Gatland
I also think Warren Gatland will want to prove a point
against South Africa, we are the reigning world champions, and that will
probably add some pressure to justify that title.
“The Lions will bring a lot of history and heritage.
Unfortunately, I missed playing them in 2009 for Western Province, which I wish
I had done, but that's how things turned out for me.”
Louw believes that the British & Irish Lions will travel
to South Africa with a point to prove and aim to shut out the Springboks in the
three-round series, but having been involved with Bok's team last year and
knowing the players, they are not knows. I think it will happen.
“It is an exciting prospect for any British or Irish player
to represent their country at the top. But with the Lions you add a little
extra step: you are considered the best,” said Louw, who played rugby in
England with Bath for the past decade.
British Lions and South Africa
It's one thing to be good enough to play in your country,
but you are now considered good enough to play for a team made up of players
from four countries. It's a level and a great motivation for the guys here,
they all want to play for the Lions and hope to be selected to play in a red
jersey test and I'm sure they will enjoy the opportunity to play in the South
Africa.
Obviously a large part of the team is usually made up of
English players and with us we beat them in the final of the World Cup last
year, I think they will have a point to prove. Those players become a different
team when they wear the Lions jersey.
“They are a good team and always have been, but it is a
difficult tour with some matches during the week so they will probably go to
South Africa with almost two full teams. Having the next tour in South Africa
is also exciting for fans. They are really looking forward to going to South
Africa and I think it has the potential to be an incredible show.”
The first eight podcasts also available on Soundcloud,
Spotify, and Apple Podcasts feature Rassie Erasmus; Branco du Preez, Aled
Walters and Jacques Nienaber; Cheslin Kolbe and Handre Pollard; Bongi Mbonambi,
Malcolm Marx and Schalk Brits; Joel Stransky; Jurie Roux; Mark Andrews; and
Francois Pienaar, and can be accessed here.
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