Veteran prop Beast Mtawarira has predicted the Springboks’ high-profile three-Test series against the British & Irish Lions next year could go to a decider.
The 2021 Lions tour of South Africa will mark the third series between the elite team and the Springboks. In 1997, the Lions won 2-1 and 12 years later, in 2009, the Boks claimed a 2-1 series victory.
Mtawarira, who played an influential role throughout that 2009 series – particularly in the first Test when he mauled Phil Vickery at scrum time – will not be fronting the Lions this time around because he retired after last year’s World Cup.
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But he says the upcoming tour will still be a special occasion and believes the three-Test series could well go to a decider.
‘We as Springboks really love the challenge and embrace the opportunity to play the Lions. I don’t know if it is the same for the Australians or All Blacks, but I think it is more special for us,’ he told Lionsrugby.com.
‘Our team is strong and it’s similar to the one that won the World Cup. It is going to be a very tight series and it could go all the way. We respect the Lions and love playing against them.’
‘There is so much hype for 2021 already. People are excited and are talking about it, on social media, on TV, in the newspapers.’
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