Hot or cool, dry or wet; the Springboks are ready for anything Japan’s conditions can throw at them, Aled Walters, team head of athletic performance, told Rugby World Cup media on Sunday.
Tokyo’s temperatures climbed towards a muggy 30˚C on an overcast day while the Boks sweated through a gym session, with Walters content on how preparations had gone.
“I don’t really mind what conditions will be like on match-day,” he said.
“We’ve had two good weeks of training here in Japan; the purpose of which was to get in some proper training in tough conditions, which is why we purposefully trained in the hottest part of the day to really get the benefit.
“Whether it’s 20 degrees or 30 degrees at the weekend I don’t mind; we just have to embrace it mentally.
"The players have been through the worst we can expect so for that reason I think we have had a massive platform of preparation. We’ve been lucky to have had that time to really get used to the conditions.”
NOT CONCERNED: Duane Vermeulen has lost 3kg's but the Boks are prepared for this too. Photo: Christiaan Kotze/BackpagePix.
Walters confirmed reports that the players had shed kilograms in training sessions. But the Boks had factored the likelihood into their planning.
“In a relatively light training session last week, Duane Vermeulen lost three kilos and it was raining so that’s again, something that we’ve become used to.
“Our dietician is all over our hydration and nutrition protocols which are essential and which are in place so the boys can’t be slacking off in their physical condition."
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/duane_vermeulen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@duane_vermeulenlost three kilograms during a training session.
💪 Hot or cool, dry or wet: Boks are ready for Japan!
🔗 https://t.co/W1wLlNu15w #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/Dm4VCYkPFN
— Springboks (@Springboks)
The Springboks kick off their tournament with a Pool B clash against defending champions New Zealand in Yokohama on Saturday.
African News Agency