Like battle-scarred warriors sharpening their spears for one last clash before the campaign turns to a new front, the Springboks have arrived in the furnace of Nelspruit.
The green-and-gold juggernaut may have flattened Italy 45-0 last week in Gqeberha, but assistant coach Deon Davids and second-row enforcer Ruan Nortje know Saturday’s Castle Lager Incoming Series showdown with Georgia will be no stroll through a manicured park — more like a barefoot trek through a briar patch, with bruises guaranteed.
Every Test is important for us, and we never underestimate any team. We know what their DNA is. We played against them in 2021, so they will certainly bring their traditional physicality and give everything out there.
There is no glitz to the Georgian game. It is trench warfare. It’s grind and grit — a scrum-powered slugfest that smells of sweat and scrumcaps, not champagne rugby. And the Boks know it.
We’ve heard they want to play in the Six Nations, and they will see this match as a step in trying to achieve that. That said, we have our own standards, and we know where we want to be going into the Castle Lager Rugby Championship later in the season, so this is a massive game for us to try to improve and build on what we have achieved so far.
The Boks, fresh from their Italian demolition job, wasted no time in flipping the tactical page. After landing in the humid Lowveld, they dove straight into analysis and training sessions. There’s no fat to trim here — just muscle memory and mental preparation.
Nortje, a man more comfortable in the chaos of a maul than a media scrum, backed his coach’s assessment with the quiet confidence of a player who knows the weight of the jersey.
Georgia are a tough team that have delivered a few good performances in the last few seasons, so we are preparing ourselves for an extremely physical and challenging match this weekend.
For Georgia, this isn’t just a game — it’s a proving ground. A chance to plant their flag in Six Nations territory. But for the Boks, it’s another sharpening stone before the big tests arrive — a final audition in the Mbombela cauldron.
Though physical collisions will define the match, off-field matters linger in the background like dark clouds over the training paddock.
Jasper Wiese, the human wrecking ball at No 8, received a red card in Gqeberha and now faces the judicial guillotine.
World Rugby have a disciplinary process they follow, and we respect that. As a team, we will be there for Jasper regardless of what decision is made.
In the event Wiese is sidelined, the Boks won’t be short on replacements. The squad depth is a buffet of brawn, with a trio of dynamic forwards ready to fill the No 8 jersey.
We have versatile players in our squad, and players like Evan (Roos), Siya (Kolisi) and Marco (van Staden) can cover No 8,” Davids confirmed. “So we have a few players who can play there for us.
In the shadows of the Kruger Park, where lions roam freely and the air is thick with promise, the Boks have found a home away from home. For Nortje, it’s a field of dreams painted green and gold.
The Mbombela Stadium is one of my favourite places to play. I was fortunate to face Argentina here last year, and I’ll never forget the atmosphere and the support for the team. The people here really get behind the Boks, so I’ll be very excited if I get an opportunity to play this weekend.
And in a team of giants, Nortje remains in awe of the colossuses who pack the engine room with him.
This is a fantastic environment to be part of, and every player is privileged to be here, so when you get the opportunity, you have to grab it with both hands. Personally, I try to learn as much as I can whenever I’m in the team, especially if one looks at the locks we have, such as Eben (Etzebeth), RG (Snyman) and a couple of others, who are among the best in the world.
The final whistle may be days away, but already the stage is set. The Georgians will bring thunder and thorns. The Boks, pride and precision. It won’t be pretty. It won’t be easy. But it will be rugby in its rawest, most honest form.
Kick-off is at 17:10 on Saturday. Expect fireworks. Expect bruises. Expect the Bok war machine to face one more test of mettle before the road winds toward the Rugby Championship.
